Raipur. After the electricity bill became expensive in Chhattisgarh, the Deputy CM has instructed professional agencies to audit electricity bills and energy in a phased manner in all 184 urban bodies. He has asked to use solar energy in place of traditional energy as soon as possible. Deputy CM Saw has directed the officials of the Urban Administration Department and said that in most of the bodies, electricity bills are not paid on time due to lack of funds in this item. Due to this, urban bodies and the department have to unnecessarily pay additional amount to the electricity department every year in the form of surcharge and arrears.
Green energy will get a boost
The Deputy CM said that audit of energy and electricity bills will help in taking measures to save them. Saav has asked to promote the use of green energy instead of traditional energy in urban bodies to save electricity and reduce its cost. This will not only reduce the expenses of the bodies but will also improve the environment.
Payment of about Rs 800 crore pending
A large number of electricity connections have been taken in urban bodies for the operation of various public facilities like drinking water supply and street lighting in urban areas. The Electricity Department has installed thousands of electricity meters for this purpose in all 184 urban bodies of the state. Through these meters, the electricity bill is sent to the bodies by the Electricity Department after taking meter readings every month. A large amount is spent by the bodies every month in the form of electricity bills. Many times the bodies and the Urban Administration Department have to pay additional amount to the Electricity Department in the form of surcharge and arrears. Every year, an amount of about Rs 100 crore to Rs 200 crore is transferred by the department to the Electricity Department for adjustment of electricity bills in urban bodies. At present, the amount of surcharge is continuously increasing due to pending payment of about Rs 800 crore.
The use of solar energy will save crores of rupees
In view of this situation, Deputy Chief Minister Arun Saw has instructed the officials to conduct audit of electricity bills and energy audit of urban bodies in the departmental review meeting. This will enable a clear assessment of the actual electricity consumption and payment being made for unnecessary surcharge by auditing the electricity bill of each body. After the audit, a policy will also be prepared to reduce electricity consumption and install solar power plants. Reducing electricity consumption and installing solar power plants will lead to savings of about Rs 800 crore to Rs 1000 crore in the long term. Along with this, the bodies will also get carbon credit by using green energy. Saw said that with the amount saved in this way, other works of infrastructure development in the bodies and new schemes can be started to provide basic facilities to the citizens. Inclusion of solar energy in energy management in the bodies and reduction in the use of thermal energy will also promote environmental sustainability.
An action plan is being prepared for the pilot project
Deputy Chief Minister Arun Saw has given instructions to make urban bodies energy efficient by maximum use of solar energy. The Urban Administration Department is preparing an action plan for a pilot project to conduct energy audit to gather actual information about electricity consumption in the bodies. After identifying the actual consumption of electricity in urban bodies and the irregularities and deficiencies in the system through energy audit and analysis of electricity bills, the use of energy efficient equipment will be promoted, savings in bills by reducing electricity consumption and alternative arrangements like solar energy system will be adopted in a phased manner. The Government of India has also started innovative schemes like PM Kusum, PM Suryodaya and PM Suryaghar to promote the use of solar energy in place of traditional energy.
