Port Blair, Jul 25: As a part of Azadi ka Amrit Mahotsav to celebrate 75 Years of India’s Independence, the Ministry of Power in association with the A&N Administration has organized a ‘Bijli Mahotsav’ in Chouldhari, District of South Andaman, Port Blair on 25th July 2022 under the leadership of Mr. Jitendra Narain, Chief Secretary, A&N Administration.
The Bijli Mahotsav is used as a platform to celebrate the collaboration between the State/ UT and the Central Govt. to highlight the key achievements of the power sector. Some of the key highlights have been: a. 169GW of generation capacity added, transforming our country from power deficit to power surplus; b. 1.60 Lakh cKm of transmission line added, connecting the entire country into one grid running on one frequency, emerging as the largest integrated grid in the world; c. Achieved 100% village electrification (18,374) in 2018 and 100% household electrification (2.86 Cr); d. Rs. 2.02 Lakhs Crore outlay for system strengthening which has increased power supply in rural increased from 12 hours to in 2015 to average 22.5 hours at present; e. Fastest – growing RE capacity – doubled from ~76GW in 2014 to ~ 160GW now. Achieved 40% RE generation capacity mix in 2021 and stands 4th Globally.
The Bijli Mahotsav is being celebrated all over the country under the umbrella of Ujjwal Bharat, Ujjwal Bhavishya- Power @ 2047 for more public participation and getting across the developments in the power sector to the citizens at large.
Mr. Sunil Anchipaka, IAS, Deputy Commissioner, South Andaman, Mr. Parmila Kumari, Zilla Parishad Adhyaksha, Mr. Dilkhush Meena, IAS, Sub-District Magistrate, Mr. Tapasi Saha, Pradhan, Chouldhari, Mr. Karuna Jaydhar, Superintending Engineer, Electricity Department, Mrs. Rizwana, Executive Engineer (SA), Electricity Department, Mr. Deepa Nair, Executive Engineer (NRSE), Electricity Department and Mr. Suraj Kumar Agarwal, Manager (Finance), REC Ltd. graced the occasion, which saw large turnouts of crowds from nearby villagers. The dignitaries highlighted the benefits of electricity and the unprecedented growth shown in the power sector over the past few years. The events also witnessed beneficiaries sharing their experiences.
To engage the guest cultural programmes viz traditional dance, regional songs, street drama, puppet show, panels showcasing achievements and screening of short films on the power sector was organized at the venue. In addition, to sensitize the citizens, essay competitions and screening of short films on power sectors are being organized at schools. The A & N Administration under the vision of Mr. Jitendra Narain, Chief Secretary will be celebrating a grand event on the theme “Asatoma Sad-Gamaya, Tamaso Maa Jyotir–Gamaya – From darkness to light” at Cellular Jail on 30th July 2022.