Parliament Question: Strengthening of power infrastructure in J and K

GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF POWER RAJYA SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO.2713 ANSWERED ON 16.03.2026 STRENGTHENING OF POWER INFRASTRUCTURE IN J AND K 2713 SHRI SAT PAUL SHARMA: Will the Minister of POWER be pleased to state: (a) whether Government has identified the reasons for frequent power cuts in the Jammu and Kashmir region during the winter months; (b) the steps taken by Government to mitigate the power cuts; and (c) the measures taken by Government to strengthen power infrastructure and ensure uninterrupted electricity supply in the region? A N S W E R THE MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF POWER (SHRI SHRIPAD NAIK) (a): Electricity being a concurrent subject, supply and distribution of electricity to consumers is within the purview of the respective State Government/ distribution utility. As reported by UT of J&K, power cuts are primarily driven by system constraints at the transmission and distribution levels, alongside unrestricted energy consumption in unmetered areas. (b) & (c): Government of India (GoI) has supplemented the efforts of the States/UT including Jammu and Kashmir through schemes like Deen Dayal Upadhyaya Gram Jyoti Yojana (DDUGJY), Integrated Power Development Scheme (IPDS) and Pradhan Mantri Sahaj Bijli Har Ghar Yojana (SAUBHAGYA), to help them achieve the objective of providing quality and reliable power supply. These schemes stand closed as on 31.03.2022. Under these schemes, projects worth Rs. 2,909 crore were executed for strengthening of power distribution infrastructure in the UT of J&K. Further, the Government of India, in November 2016, had approved Prime Minister Development Package (PMDP) for augmentation of infrastructure for distribution systems including capital cities, tourist destinations along with Advance Technology interventions for erstwhile state of J&K (including Ladakh). Under PMDP, projects worth Rs. 2780 Cr have been executed. Under the above schemes and project, the major executed works include creation and augmentation of substations, Distribution Transformers, High Tension (HT) Lines, Low Tension (LT) Lines, feeder separation etc. Further, the Government of India, in July 2021, launched the Revamped Distribution Sector Scheme (RDSS) with the objective of improving the quality and reliability of power supply to consumers through a financially sustainable and operationally efficient Distribution Sector in the country.Under RDSS, Projects worth Rs. 5,034 crores for loss reduction works and Rs. 1,064 crores for smart metering works have been sanctioned for the UT of J&K. The sanctioned works include execution of new and upgradation of existing substations and Distribution Transformers (DTs), HT & LT lines, agricultural feeder segregation, household electrification, etc. Ministry of Power also allocates additional power from the Central Generating Stations (CGSs) during winter months every year with a view to facilitate electric supply in J&K. In the winter of current FY 2025-26, Ministry of Power had allocated the following additional power from the CGSs: (i) 120 MW unallocated power from Patratu Thermal Power Plant (Unit#1) as specific allocation from 05.11.2025 (Commercial Operation Date) to 28.02.2026. (ii) 292.99 MW power from NTPC Kahalgaon Super Thermal Power Station (Stage-I) from 01.10.2025 to 28.02.2026. . **********