Power crisis deepens in State; Raghubar Das writes to CM
PNS
Ranchi
Amid rising temperatures and a worsening power crisis in Jharkhand, former Chief Minister Raghubar Das has written to Chief Minister Hemant Soren, expressing serious concern over the deteriorating electricity situation in the state. He alleged that the current government has failed to adequately maintain and strengthen the power infrastructure created during the previous administration.
In his letter, Das highlighted persistent issues such as erratic power supply, low voltage, frequent transformer failures, and declining consumer services. “While the state is reeling under intense heat, the poor power situation is compounding public hardship,” he said.
He further noted that both rural and urban areas are facing prolonged power cuts, significantly affecting daily life, education, agriculture, trade, and industry.
Das compared the present scenario with the progress made during his tenure (2014–2019), emphasizing key achievements in the power sector. He stated that electricity access was expanded from 38 lakh to 68 lakh households. Additionally, around 4,027 km of new transmission lines were installed, and over 1.41 lakh km of distribution lines were laid. The 132 kV and 220 kV transmission networks were also expanded to strengthen supply.
He also referred to major projects such as the revival of Patratu Vidyut Utpadan Nigam Limited (PVUNL) in partnership with NTPC, aimed at generating 4,000 MW of power. According to him, the 800 MW unit at Patratu became operational in March this year, while NTPC’s North Karanpura project has also started functioning.
Despite these developments, Das described the current power situation as “unfortunate” and indicative of administrative lapses, calling for urgent corrective measures to restore reliable electricity supply across the state.
