Karnataka gets two years to become eligible for RDSS
The Central government has given the Energy Department two years to become eligible for the Revamped Distribution Sector Scheme (RDSS) by recovering all pending arrears of electricity supply companies (escoms), Energy Minister K.J. George said on Wednesday.
When Union Minister of Power Manohar Lal Khattar was recently in Bengaluru for an event, he advised the Energy Department to prepare a road map for the recovery of pending dues. Karnataka is one of the very few States that missed out on RDSS as escoms were owed over ₹8,500 crore from various government departments at the time.
'Then, we did not even try as we knew there was no time and we were not eligible. But now, we have been given two years and we want to use the scheme as it would greatly benefit our escoms. They will get 60% subsidy (around ₹10,000 crore) for building the distribution network. The Union Minister has asked us to get the urban local bodies to impose a 2% cess to aid in the repayment of power dues,' Mr. George explained.
Eligibility for the scheme will also help consumers who install smart meters as a 15% subsidy (up to ₹900) will be provided by the Union government. It is now mandatory for all new and temporary connections to install smart meters in the State. Mr. George said that he also wants to propose to the Cabinet that smart meters be installed in all government offices.
765 kV substations to be set up
In a bid to enhance the transmission network of the State, Karnataka Power Transmission Corporation Limited (KPTCL) will set up three 765 kv substations - one each in Central, North, and South Karnataka.
'We will be one of the few States to have these substations,' said Pankaj Kumar Pandey, managing director, KPTCL.
He further said that in urban areas where getting right of way is a problem, existing transmission corridors are being used to replace conductors with high performance conductors with double or four times the capacity. High towers, which will occupy less space and leaves less footprint are also being set up to reduce transmission losses.
These are all part of a blueprint to increase the transmission capacity in the next five years.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Hindustan Times
30 minutes ago
- Hindustan Times
Anurag Rastogi gets one-year extension as Haryana chief secretary
The central government has granted a year's extension in service to chief secretary Anurag Rastogi. The 1990-batch Haryana IAS officer, who was due to retire on June 30, will continue to hold the charge of chief secretary till June 30, 2026. A June 19 communication from the Union ministry of personnel said that the central government, on a proposal of the Haryana government, has approved extension of service for Rastogi from July 1, 2025 to June 30, 2026. Hindustan Times was the first to report on June 8 that Rastogi would get an extension in service, thus enabling him to continue as chief secretary from July 1. Since Rule 16 (1) of the All-India Service (death cum retirement benefits) Rules, 1958, provided for only six months of extension in service for the chief secretary, the central government relaxed this rule by invoking Rule 3 of All India Service (Conditions of Service- Residuary Matters) Rules, 1960, to grant Rastogi 12 months of extension in service. Rule 3 of All India Service (Conditions of Service- Residuary Matters) Rules, 1960, empowers the central government to dispense with or relax the requirements of a rule or regulations made under All India Services Act, 1951. Rastogi was appointed as chief secretary in February this year after 1989-batch IAS officer Vivek Joshi took voluntary retirement on being chosen as Election Commissioner by the central government. The Nayab Singh Saini government appointed Rastogi as Joshi's successor by not following the seniority principle. According to the gradation list of Haryana IAS officers, Sudhir Rajpal of the 1990 batch is the senior most as per the inter se seniority followed by Sumita Misra, Anurag Rastogi, Anand Mohan Sharan and Raja Sekhar Vundru. A dispute has been raised by the 1990-batch IAS officers regarding the inter-se seniority which remains unadjudicated. Rastogi was also given the interim charge of chief secretary for a few days after the retirement of TVSN Prasad and before Joshi joined as the chief secretary in November 2024. Rastogi was later posted as financial commissioner, revenue (FCR) and also held the charge of additional chief secretary, finance and planning. He still holds the charge of the finance and planning departments.
Hindustan Times
an hour ago
- Hindustan Times
India-UK FTA clears path for Indian talent in UK: Piyush Goyal
NEW DELHI: The recently concluded free trade agreement (FTA) between India and the United Kingdom would facilitate smooth mobility of skilled professionals across sectors, Union commerce minister Piyush Goyal said at the India Global Forum (IGF) 2025 in London. The minister reaffirmed India's commitment to transitioning the FTA from a negotiated text into a transformative economic partnership while delivering the keynote address at the India Global Forum's (IGF) plenary session — From Agreement to Action: The UK-India FTA, a commerce ministry statement said on Thursday. There he was joined in conversation by UK secretary of state for business and trade Jonathan Reynolds with moderation by journalist Mark Barton, the statement added. India and the UK successfully concluded FTA negotiations on May 6 where business mobility was one of the key demands of New Delhi. The deal is currently undergoing legal scrubbing before being formally passed by the respective authorities of the two countries. Summarising key benefits of the deal on the following day, global consultancy firm EY said that it would ease mobility for professionals, including contractual service suppliers, business visitors, investors, intra-corporate transferees, and independent professionals like yoga instructors, musicians, and chefs, offering greater global mobility for aspirational young Indians. Goyal described the FTA as a reflection of shared ambition between two vibrant democracies. He stated that the agreement not only enhances bilateral trade, but also demonstrates India's ability to negotiate balanced and future-oriented trade frameworks aligned with its national interests, the statement said. The minister is on a high-level visit to the UK from June 18 to 19. Outlining the next phase of implementation, he highlighted key priorities such as strengthening institutional mechanisms for joint governance, unlocking early benefits for small and medium enterprises (SMEs) and startups, and facilitating smooth mobility of skilled professionals across sectors, it added. The minister also participated in a special session on 'UK–India Science, Technology and Innovation Collaboration' at the Science Museum in London on Thursday. The session explored opportunities for UK stakeholders to contribute to India's expanding investments in digital public infrastructure, sustainable manufacturing, and green technologies. Discussions also covered efforts to make India a global manufacturing hub through Make in India, production-linked incentive schemes, and enhancing collaboration in sectors such as fintech, artificial intelligence, and creative industries, it said. 'Trade deals with competitors silly' Goyal said that 15 years ago, before his party's government came to power, India was 'more focused on doing trade agreements with countries that are our competitors'. 'It really is silly, because (that is) opening up my market to my competitors, many of whom have now become the B team of China. So effectively and indirectly, I have opened up my market for goods that find their way from China into India'.
Time of India
an hour ago
- Time of India
Govt announces FASTag Annual Pass: Know how much you end up saving with yearly subscription
Union Minister for Roads, Transportation and Highways Nitin Gadkari has announced FASTag Annual Pass for Rs 3,000, which will be valid for 200 inter-city trips or 12 months of validity, whichever comes first. Watch as we decode how many rupees you stand to save with an annual FASTag subscription Show more Show less
