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Time of India
2 days ago
- Business
- Time of India
Centre pegs FY35 peak power demand at 446 GW; calls for prepaid meters, transmission upgrades
New Delhi: The Centre on Friday said that India's peak electricity demand is projected to reach 446 GW by 2034–35 and called on States to ensure timely tie-ups of power generation capacity, complete installation of prepaid smart meters in government offices by August 2025, and resolve transmission-related issues to meet future demand sustainably. Union Minister of Power and Housing & Urban Affairs Manohar Lal, chairing the Regional Conference for Northern Region States and Union Territories in Chandigarh, said India successfully met a peak demand of 250 GW in May 2024 and the peak demand shortage is currently zero. He said India's power system has evolved into a unified national grid, fulfilling the vision of 'One Nation-One Grid', and stressed on coordinated action between the Centre and States to achieve the goal of Viksit Bharat by 2047. The meeting was attended by Anil Vij (Energy Minister, Haryana), Harbhajan Singh (Power Minister, Punjab), Subodh Uniyal (Forest Minister, Uttarakhand), A K Sharma (Energy Minister, Uttar Pradesh), Ashish Sood (Power Minister, Delhi), Javed Ahmad Rana (Minister of Jal Shakti, Environment & Forest & Tribal Affairs, Jammu & Kashmir), and Heeralal Nagar (Minister of State for Energy, Rajasthan), along with the Union Power Secretary, state energy secretaries, CMDs of Central and State utilities, and senior officials from the Ministry of Power. The Union Minister emphasised the need to ensure resource adequacy and long-term power generation capacity tie-ups , including addition of nuclear power. He said States should work towards resolving issues in intra-state transmission projects, including Right of Way (RoW) constraints, and explore financing options such as multilateral institutions. He informed that ₹1.5 lakh crore has been allocated in the Union Budget 2025–26 as 50-year interest-free loans to support capital expenditure by States, which can be utilised to strengthen transmission infrastructure. He advised States to promote renewable energy with storage to ensure reliable power supply and implement Renewable Purchase Obligation (RPO) Guidelines. He said the share of renewable energy in India's total installed capacity has increased from 32 per cent in 2014 to 49 per cent in April 2025 and recommended formation of dedicated teams in States for critical renewable planning. He also highlighted the importance of cyber-security protocols and islanding schemes as preventive measures to ensure grid resilience and mitigate cyber threats. On the distribution sector, the Minister said it remains the most critical link in the power value chain but faces challenges due to poor tariff structures, inefficient billing and collection, and delays in payment of government dues and subsidies. He said reducing AT&C losses and the gap between Average Cost of Supply and Average Revenue is essential, and asked States to engage with Electricity Regulatory Commissions (ERCs) for cost-reflective tariffs and timely issuance of tariff and true-up orders. He said that losses incurred by utilities raise the cost of power for consumers and weaken service delivery, with cascading financial impact. He asked distribution utilities to expedite infrastructure and smart metering works under the Revamped Distribution Sector Scheme. He added that several States have pending dues from FY24 and gaps are more apparent in FY25, calling for timely settlement of dues to support the financial health of utilities. The minister said pre-paid smart meters are key to timely realisation of government department dues and asked States to saturate installation of prepaid smart meters in all government establishments, including government colonies, by August 2025. He also directed States to complete installation of smart meters for commercial, industrial, and high-load consumers by November 2025. He said smart meters can transform consumer-utility interactions using data analytics based on AI and ML tools and enable consumers to benefit from inbuilt features in the smart meter application. He assured States of continued support from the Central Government and said that all stakeholders must work together to ensure 'Power for All, at All Times'. Secretary (Power), Government of India, said States must ensure necessary generation capacity tie-ups aligned with resource adequacy plans till FY2035. He said arrangements must also be made to develop intra-state and inter-state transmission capacity through financing models such as Tariff-Based Competitive Bidding (TBCB), Regulated Tariff Mechanism (RTM), infrastructure support under Budget 2026, or monetisation of assets. He said power sector infrastructure, including transmission and distribution systems, must be secured against cyber threats and that States should implement cyber-security protocols and islanding schemes. He also advised States to work towards ensuring the financial viability of distribution utilities.
The Print
25-05-2025
- Business
- The Print
PM asks states to remove policy bottlenecks, encourage investment, generate jobs
Prime Minister Modi, he said, also urged the states to focus on agriculture, education and healthcare. Briefing reporters about the 10th Governing Council meeting of Niti Aayog, CEO BVR Subrahmanyam said that everyone present at the meeting unanimously supported Operation Sindoor, undertaken by India to destroy terror infrastructure in Pakistan. New Delhi, May 24 (PTI) Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday asked the states and Union Territories to remove policy bottlenecks to encourage investment and generate employment as he stressed that if the Union government and states work together like Team India, no goal is impossible. The Prime Minister said that the 10-year journey of Niti Aayog was 'to prepare the nation to achieve the goal of Vikshit Bharat'. The theme of the Governing Council meeting was 'Viksit Rajya for Viksit Bharat@2047'. The meeting was attended by 31 states and Union Territories of a total of 36, Subrahmanyam said, adding those who could not make it had prior commitments and informed the Council. The states which did not attend the meeting were Karnataka, Kerala, West Bengal, Bihar and Puducherry, he said, adding the 10th meeting of the Council saw maximum attendance. 'We have to increase the speed of development. If the Centre and all the States come together and work together like Team India, no goal is impossible,' Niti Aayog said in a post on X, quoting the Prime Minister as saying. 'Viksit Bharat is the goal of every Indian. When every state is Viksit, then Bharat will be Viksit. This is the aspiration of its 140 crore citizens,' Modi said. The council, the apex body of Niti Aayog, includes all state chief ministers, lieutenant governors of Union Territories, and several Union ministers. Prime Minister Modi is the chairman of Niti Aayog. 'We should have the aim of making each state viksit, each city viksit, each Nagar Palika viksit and each village viksit. If we work on these lines, we will not have to wait till 2047 to become Viksit Bharat,' Modi said. The prime minister also suggested that states should develop at least one tourist destination per state at par with global standards and provide all facilities and infrastructure. 'One State: One Global Destination. It would also lead to the development of the neighbouring cities as tourist places,' he said. Noting that India is getting rapidly urbanised, Modi said, 'We should work towards future-ready cities'. Growth, innovation and sustainability should be the engine for the development of India's cities, he added. Modi also emphasised the need to work towards the inclusion of women in the workforce. 'We must make laws and policies so that they can be respectfully integrated into the workforce,' he said. It is the first major meeting of the prime minister with the chief ministers of all states and the lieutenant governors of Union Territories after Operation Sindoor. PTI BKS BKS MR MR This report is auto-generated from PTI news service. ThePrint holds no responsibility for its content.
The Print
25-05-2025
- Politics
- The Print
Niti Aayog's Governing Council meeting begins under PM chairmanship
The council, the apex body of Niti Aayog, includes all state chief ministers, lieutenant governors of Union Territories, and several Union ministers. Prime Minister Modi is the chairman of Niti Aayog. The theme of the Governing Council meeting is 'Viksit Rajya for Viksit Bharat@2047'. New Delhi, May 24 (PTI) Niti Aayog's 10th Governing Council meeting, chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, began here on Saturday. It is the first major meeting of the prime minister with chief ministers of all states and lieutenant governors of Union Territories after Operation Sindoor. 'In line with his commitment to take all the states together as 'Team India' for a Viksit Bharat, Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi will chair the 10th Governing Council Meeting of NITI Aayog on May 24, 2025. '…the Governing Council Meeting will discuss the approach on Viksit Rajya for Viksit Bharat @2047,' Niti Aayog had said in a statement earlier. According to the statement, the idea of Viksit Rajya for Viksit Bharat is a call for states to craft bold, long-term, and inclusive vision documents aligned with national priorities yet grounded in local realities. 'These visions must include time-bound targets,' it had said. Generally, the full council meeting happens every year, and last year, it was held on July 27. The first meeting of the council took place on February 8, 2015. PTI BKS BAL BAL This report is auto-generated from PTI news service. ThePrint holds no responsibility for its content.
Hindustan Times
24-05-2025
- Politics
- Hindustan Times
From PM Modi's message on Operation Sindoor to Opposition's demands: What transpired at Niti Aayog meeting
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday chaired the 10th Governing Council meeting of the Niti Aayog in New Delhi, in which he delivered a message over 'Operation Sindoor' to the attendees, while Opposition kept certain demands. During the meeting, the prime minister urged the states and Union Territories to remove policy bottlenecks to encourage investment and generate employment. He also stressed that no goal is impossible if the Central and state governments work together. 'We have to increase the speed of development. If the Centre and all the States come together and work together like Team India, no goal is impossible,' Modi said. Also Read | PM Modi urges states to align development plans with 'Viksit Bharat 2047' vision "Viksit Bharat is the goal of every Indian. When every state is Viksit, then Bharat will be Viksit. This is the aspiration of its 140 crore citizens," Modi added. Modi also suggested that states should develop at least one tourist destination per state, at par with global standards, and provide all facilities and infrastructure. The theme of the Governing Council meeting was 'Viksit Rajya for Viksit Bharat@2047'. The Governing Council, Niti Aayog's apex body, includes all state chief ministers, lieutenant governors of Union Territories, and several Union ministers. Prime Minister Modi is its chairperson. According to NITI Aayog CEO BVR Subrahmanyam, everyone present at the meeting unanimously supported Operation Sindoor, undertaken by India to destroy terror infrastructure in Pakistan. A statement by the NITI Aayog said that Prime Minister Modi mentioned that Operation Sindoor should not be treated as a one-off initiative and that India should adopt a long-term approach. 'Prime Minister mentioned that we must modernise our approach to civil preparedness. He said that the recent mock drills have reignited our attention to civil defence states should institutionalize Civil Defence preparedness,' the statement said. Also Read | CMs 'unanimously' appreciated Operation Sindoor, congratulated armed forces and PM Modi: Rekha Gupta 'The CMs and LGs praised Operation Sindoor for its precision and targeted strikes, which led to the destruction of terror infrastructure. In one voice, they praised PM's leadership and the valour of the Armed Forces,' it added. Briefing reporters about the NITI Aayog meeting, CEO BVR Subrahmanyam said that 31 states and Union Territories attended out of the 36. The states which did not attend the meeting were Karnataka, Kerala, West Bengal, Bihar and Puducherry, he said, adding the 10th meeting of the Council saw maximum attendance. Subrahmanyam also added that those who could not make it had prior commitments and informed the Council. During the meeting on Saturday, Telangana CM A Revanth Reddy called on Prime Minister Narendra Modi and sought approval for the Hyderabad Metro Rail Phase-II project worth ₹24,269 crore and official recognition of the Hyderabad-Bangalore defence manufacturing corridor, according to PTI news agency. Himachal Pradesh CM Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu urged the government that special needs of hill states should be taken into account and demanded that the pending funds of the state be released. 'If the long-pending dues were released by the Centre well in time, Himachal Pradesh will itself become self-reliant,' Sukhu said, according to PTI. Jharkhand chief minister Hemant Soren called for a provision in the Coal Bearing Areas (Acquisition and Development) Act, commonly known as the CBA Act, requiring companies to return land to the state government after mining activities. Speaking at the NITI Aayog Governing Council meeting, he also demanded the release of ₹1.40 lakh crore allegedly owed by mining companies. Meanwhile, Tamil Nadu CM MK Stalin urged the Central government to disburse ₹2,200 crore funds under the Samagra Shiksha Abhiyan (SSA) due for the state. Stalin also sought to increase the state's share in central taxes to 50 per cent and underscored the necessity for a dedicated urban transformation mission in the state.
Mint
24-05-2025
- Politics
- Mint
From Operation Sindoor to focus on Nari Shakti, skilling — 10 key highlights from NITI Aayog meet
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday, May 24, chaired the 10th Governing Council Meeting of NITI Aayog which was attended by 31 states and Union Territories (UTs). During the meeting, Operation Sindoor, Nari Shakti, skilling were a few topics that were stressed upon by the prime minister. Karnataka, West Bengal, Bihar, Kerala and Puducherry did not participate in the NITI Aayog meeting, CEO BVR Subrahmanyam said. '31 out of 36 states/UTs participated in the NITI Aayog governing council meeting today. States that did not participate are Karnataka, Bengal, Bihar, Kerala, and Puducherry,' he said. 'The agenda for the meeting was two items apart from an action taken report. Firstly, the theme of the meeting itself and the first item in the agenda was 'Viksit Rajya for Viksit Bharat'. The whole idea is that in the last Governing Council, the Prime Minister had given a call for all states to prepare their own state visions, making their states develop so that they have visions which will then aggregate into a larger vision for the nation,' he said. NITI Aayog meeting was attended by chief ministers and Lt. Governors representing 24 states and 7 UTs. This year's theme was Viksit Rajya for Viksit Bharat@2047. The meeting commenced with a minute of silence in the remembrance of the victims of Pahalgam terrorist attack on April 22. Operation Sindoor: As per the official release, PM Modi said 'Operation Sindoor should not be treated as a one-off initiative and we must adopt a long-term approach.' Viksit Bharat: According to the official press release, PM Modi said it was the aspiration of every Indian for the country to be a Viksit Bharat. He observed that if all states work together towards this goal, then we will make stupendous progress. Speed of transformation: PM said that India has emerged among top five economies of the world and 25 crore have escaped poverty. He emphasised that India needs to increase the speed of this transformation. 'We have to increase the speed of development. If the Centre and all the states come together and work together like Team India, no goal is impossible,' he said. Skilling and NEP: PM Modi also emphasised on skilling and the National Education Policy (NEP), saying the new policy gives emphasis on education and skills. He also said that states must plan skills that are attuned to modern technologies such as AI, Semiconductor, 3D printing. Urbanisation: PM Modi noted India's rapid urbanisation and urged states to transform cities into engines of sustainability and growth, with a special focus on Tier 2 and Tier 3 cities. He also announced the creation of a ₹ 1 lakh crore Urban Challenge Fund to provide seed money for this initiative. PM Modi said, 'We should work towards future-ready cities.' Nari Shakti: PM Modi urged the states to change laws for women to include them in the growth trajectory, observing the need for reforms in public and private sectors for working women with focus on their ease of working. The prime minister also suggested that states should develop at least one tourist destination per state at par with global standards and provide all facilities and infrastructure. Covid-19 related challenges: PM Modi stressed the importance of strengthening health service delivery and said there must be a review of oxygen plant readiness and overall preparedness to handle any potential Covid-related challenges.
