JAMMU, OCT 30: The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), Jammu and Kashmir, on Friday raised serious concerns over the functioning of Jammu Power Distribution Corporation Limited (JPDCL) and Kashmir Power Distribution Corporation Limited (KPDCL), demanding immediate relief for electricity consumers facing inflated bills, defective smart meters and prolonged power cuts.
Addressing a press conference at the BJP headquarters in Trikuta Nagar, former MLC and party spokesperson Girdhari Lal Raina, along with spokesperson Dr. Abhijeet Jasrotia, highlighted alleged shortcomings in transparency, regional equity, consumer services and grievance redressal. State Media In-charge Dr. Pardeep Mahotra introduced the subject.
Raina questioned the practice of presenting combined performance figures of JPDCL and KPDCL despite their unbundling from the Power Development Department in October 2019. He demanded separate, corporation-wise and circle-level assessments to ensure accountability and expose regional disparities in power distribution.
Citing reported figures for FY 2024–25, he said AT&C losses stood at 27.45 per cent in JPDCL against 33.54 per cent in KPDCL, with losses reportedly touching 46 per cent in certain KPDCL feeder areas compared to around 20 per cent in some JPDCL areas.
He argued that honest consumers should not be penalised through loss-linked power curtailment schedules for electricity theft, revenue leakage and distribution inefficiencies. He also flagged defective and non-communicating smart meters, delayed replacements and inaccurate billing as major sources of public hardship.
On smart metering, Raina demanded an authoritative assessment of defective meters, time-bound replacements, transparent billing calculations and prompt correction of disputed electricity bills. He said consumers should not be burdened with inflated or estimated bills due to technical failures in metering systems.
Dr. Jasrotia questioned the implementation of the Revamped Distribution Sector Scheme (RDSS), highlighting the Centre’s sanction of ₹5,641.91 crore for smart prepaid metering and infrastructure upgrades across the two corporations. He sought corporation-wise details of expenditure, implementation progress and measurable outcomes, while questioning the government’s performance in achieving the scheme’s targets.
The BJP placed five key demands before the government, including separate and transparent JPDCL-KPDCL performance data, circle-wise and subdivision-wise AT&C loss reporting, independent audits of power procurement and revenue realisation, time-bound replacement of defective smart meters, and correction of inaccurate bills.
The party also demanded a review of loss-linked power curtailment schedules to protect regular bill-paying consumers and a time-bound grievance redressal mechanism with clearly defined accountability.
Reiterating its position, the BJP said electricity was an essential public service and not a privilege, stressing that consumers who pay their bills regularly must not suffer because of administrative failures, faulty meters or inefficiencies in the power distribution system.
