Maha CM Shinde announces over Rs 39,000 cr funds for MSEDCL

Maharashtra Chief Minister Ekanth Shinde on Friday announced Rs 39,600 crore funds for the Maharashtra State Electricity Distribution Company Ltd (MSEDCL) for basic amenities and installation of prepaid smart metres. The chief minister made the announcement while virtually addressing the Urja Mahotsav under the “Ujjwal Bharat- Ujjwal Bavishya – Power @ 2047″ being held at Ojivale of Murbad taluka in Thane district.

Shinde also said that funds to the tune of Rs 3,600 crore will be given to the Brihanmumbai Electricity Supply and Transport (BEST) for the same purpose.

The funding will benefit 1.66 crore power consumers in the state, he said.

Sufficient funds are being provided to the MSEDCL and BEST for uninterrupted and smooth supply of power to citizens, the chief minister said.

Union Minister Kapil Patil, who was present at the venue, said that in the last eight years, several revolutionary programmes had been implemented in the power sector in the country.

A sum of more than Rs 39,000 crore will be made available to the state under the Centre’s Revamped Distribution Sector Scheme (RDSS) in a phased manner in the next five years, he said.

If the works are completed in a planned manner, the sum will be given in the form of grants, or else they will be converted into loans which will have to be repaid, Patil said, urging the MSEDCL to carry out the works cautiously and effectively.