Rural Power Supply Improved to 22.4 Hours: Manohar Lal
By Rediff Money Desk, New Delhi Jan 18, 2025 19:04
India's rural power availability has significantly improved to 22.4 hours in the last decade, Union Power Minister Manohar Lal announced. Learn about the RDSS scheme and its impact on smart meters and rooftop solar installations.

New Delhi, Jan 18 (PTI) Power supply to rural areas has improved significantly by 9 hours and in urban areas by 1.4 hours over the last decade, Union Power Minister Manohar Lal has said.
The minister a meeting of the Consultative Committee of the Members of Parliament for the Ministry of Power on Thursday discussed the implementation of revamped distribution sector scheme (RDSS), an official release said.
In the meeting, the minister pointed out that over the past decade, power availability in the urban areas has improved from 22 hours to 23.4 hours, while in rural areas, it has increased significantly from 12.5 hours to 22.4 hours, the Power Ministry said in the release.
On RDSS Scheme, the Minister said that smart meters benefit both consumers and distribution companies by reducing billing errors, enhancing energy efficiency, and providing greater convenience for users.
The ministry, in coordination with the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy, has also undertaken several measures to alleviate the difficulties consumers faced while installing roof top systems (RTS) under PM Surya Ghar, Lal said.
"These measures include waiving the requirement for Technical Feasibility Study for connections up to 10 kW, implementing deemed load enhancement for RTS installations up to 10 kW, etc," he said.
As per official data, around 7.3 million smart prepaid meters have been installed till November 29 in various states under the RDSS scheme. It also showed that there were 'nil' installations in 11 states and two Union Territories.
Around 25 crore smart prepaid metres are to be installed by March 2025 under the Revamped Distribution Sector Scheme (RDSS), launched in July 2021, at an outlay of Rs 3.3 lakh crore.
So far, works worth Rs 1.12 lakh cr have been awarded which are under different stages of implementation. Till date about 11.5 cr Smart Consumer meters, 45 lakh DT meters or Distribution Transformer meter and 1.70 lakh feeder meters have been awarded and are under installation.
The minister a meeting of the Consultative Committee of the Members of Parliament for the Ministry of Power on Thursday discussed the implementation of revamped distribution sector scheme (RDSS), an official release said.
In the meeting, the minister pointed out that over the past decade, power availability in the urban areas has improved from 22 hours to 23.4 hours, while in rural areas, it has increased significantly from 12.5 hours to 22.4 hours, the Power Ministry said in the release.
On RDSS Scheme, the Minister said that smart meters benefit both consumers and distribution companies by reducing billing errors, enhancing energy efficiency, and providing greater convenience for users.
The ministry, in coordination with the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy, has also undertaken several measures to alleviate the difficulties consumers faced while installing roof top systems (RTS) under PM Surya Ghar, Lal said.
"These measures include waiving the requirement for Technical Feasibility Study for connections up to 10 kW, implementing deemed load enhancement for RTS installations up to 10 kW, etc," he said.
As per official data, around 7.3 million smart prepaid meters have been installed till November 29 in various states under the RDSS scheme. It also showed that there were 'nil' installations in 11 states and two Union Territories.
Around 25 crore smart prepaid metres are to be installed by March 2025 under the Revamped Distribution Sector Scheme (RDSS), launched in July 2021, at an outlay of Rs 3.3 lakh crore.
So far, works worth Rs 1.12 lakh cr have been awarded which are under different stages of implementation. Till date about 11.5 cr Smart Consumer meters, 45 lakh DT meters or Distribution Transformer meter and 1.70 lakh feeder meters have been awarded and are under installation.
Source: PTI
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