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Abdullah Keeps Power Portfolio, Rejects Privatization in Push to Fix J&K Electricity

He prioritizes loss reduction with better billing to enable hydropower-led growth, aiming for future power sales.

Overview

  • Speaking at the 58th Engineers’ Day at SKICC in Srinagar, Omar Abdullah set a power-sector reform agenda centered on operational efficiency.
  • He directed a push to cut technical and commercial losses and to raise billing and revenue collection as the prerequisite to creating an exportable power surplus.
  • He ruled out privatization of electricity, arguing it is unnecessary if losses fall and revenues improve.
  • He retained the Power Development Department portfolio to drive the changes personally.
  • He backed equitable tariff rationalization by ability to pay and reaffirmed hydropower development despite competition from solar priced near Rs 2–2.5 per unit.