All states except Uttar Pradesh ink pact to achieve 24X7 power

New Delhi: All states barring Uttar Pradesh have inked agreements with the Centre to achieve the milestone of providing '24x7 Power For All (PFA)'. "With the signing of the '24x7 Power For All (PFA)' roadmap document with the state (Tamil Nadu yesterday), the roadmap for all the 28 states, except one, and all the 7 Union Territories in the country have now been finalised and is under implementation," Power Ministry said in a statement today.

A source said, "Uttar Pradesh has not inked 24x7 PFA roadmap document with Power Ministry."

The ministry said it is the most significant milestone in this initiative founded on the principles of cooperative federalism.

This milestone was achieved yesterday when the Power Ministry also signed the MoU for Ujwal DISCOM Assurance Yojana (UDAY) with Tamil Nadu here. UDAY scheme is meant for revival of debt stressed discoms.

The ministry said that providing access to reliable and quality power supply to all citizens/establishments by 2019 is at the core of the Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s vision for the nation. The Power Ministry’s 24x7 program is aimed at delivering on it.

The Program has been instrumental in mainstreaming the Ministry’s focus on energy efficiency and demand side management interventions and has resulted in increased participation with speedy rollout of the UJALA/ DELP and other EESL led schemes.

UJALA has emerged as the world’s largest and most successful LED bulbs program, it said.

Increased role of central sector agencies such as NTPC in addressing sector's operational viability in the case of proposed acquisition of state owned generation assets in Rajasthan and in fast-tracking capacity addition in the case of Patratu project in Jharkhand are outcomes of the comprehensive approach adopted under 24x7 PFA Program to resolve state specific problems, the ministry said.

Besides, development of segment wise coordinated physical rollout plans and rigorous analysis on financial viability of state utilities under the 24x7 PFA program in Rajasthan and Andhra Pradesh, the plans for which were made in first 100 days of coming of this government, led to the formulation of the UDAY, it said.

Looking at the balance sheets of these states, it was found that unless the states are taken out of the debt trap which they were in and made financially sustainable, all plans of 24x7 power would remain unfulfilled, it said.

The PFA Program has also benefited several states in addressing funding gap for the investments required to ensure 24x7 power access to all.