Union power minister Manohar Lal reviews Karnataka’s power sector, stresses reforms

Union Power Minister Manohar Lal reviewed Karnataka’s power sector, urging steps to cut financial losses, expedite smart meter rollout, resolve transmission issues, and enhance infrastructure with a focus on renewable energy.

New Delhi: In order to discuss several power and infrastructure-related issues, Union Minister of Power Manohar Lal conducted a comprehensive review of the power sector in the State of Karnataka on Friday. 

An official statement by the Ministry of Power said that Manohar Lal reviewed the state's detailed presentation on the current status of power generation, transmission, and distribution in Karnataka. 

The statement also mentioned that issues such as generation mix, challenges in Right of Way (RoW) for transmission infrastructure, and the need for support in improving distribution infrastructure were also discussed. 

The Union Minister also emphasised a better understanding of ground-level issues and exploring new initiatives to strengthen the state's power supply. 

Manohar Lal also congratulated the state for its increasing share of renewable energy in the power mix, as mentioned in the official statement. 

The minister also urged the State to take steps to reduce annual financial losses of its power utilities and work towards implementing cost-reflective tariffs. 

During the review meeting, Manohar Lal underlined the importance of the timely clearance of dues and subsidies related to Government departments. He advised the State to saturate prepaid smart meters across all Government establishments, including local bodies and colonies, by August 2025.

The statement also said that the Union Minister emphasised the need for a centralised payment mechanism for efficient management of Government electricity dues.

Shri Manohar Lal further directed the State to expedite the rollout of smart metering for commercial, industrial, and other consumer categories in a time-bound manner. He advised early resolution of RoW issues impeding transmission infrastructure and called for the adoption of the compensation mechanism issued by the Government of India.

The Union Minister assured continued support from the Government of India for strengthening the power sector in Karnataka and reaffirmed the Centre's commitment to the welfare and development of the State and its people.