Power Minister says budget will facilitate ‘Ease of Living’

Speed Post News Network

New Delhi : Union Minister of State (IC) for Power and New & Renewable Energy Raj Kumar Singh on February 2, 2018, lauded the citizen oriented focus of the Budget 2018. The Minister congratulated the Union Finance Minister for taking revolutionary steps in facilitating ‘Ease of Living’ and ‘Ease of Doing Business’ in the country.

Addressing the media on proposals in Budget 2018 regarding his Ministries, Union Minister of State (IC) for Power and New & Renewable Energy Raj Kumar Singh specifically cited steps like ensuring one and half times the cost of cultivation for the farmers through MSP fixing and bringing over 10 crore poor families under Health cover net by the Government. He termed the Budget 2018 as path breaking in many ways, according to a PIB release.

Giving the future course for the Power sector post budget, Singh stated that the focus of the Government is ‘24×7 Clean and Affordable Power for All’. This will be made an obligation and will be enacted into an Act soon. “We will provide electricity connection to each and every household in the country by April, 2019. This budget has given a thrust in this direction,” he added.

Elaborating on the farmer focus of the Budget 2018, Singh highlighted that it has a given a fillip to the farmer oriented scheme involving decentralized solar power production up to 28,250 mw over a period of five years known as ‘KUSUM Scheme’. The Kisan Urja Suraksha evam Utthaan Mahaabhiyan (KUSUM) scheme would provide additional income to farmers, by giving them option to sell additional power to the grid through solar power projects set up on their barren lands, the Minister informed.

Singh stated the positive outcomes that are expected when it is implemented in full force across the country include promotion to decentralized solar power production, reducing transmission losses, support to the financial health of DISCOMs by reducing the burden of subsidy to the agriculture sector, promotion to energy efficiency and water conservation, water security to farmers through provision of assured water sources through solar water pumps – both off-grid and grid connected.