Tripura’s Power Minister, Ratan Lal Nath, announced intensified measures to curb illegal hook lines, emphasizing a zero-tolerance policy against the practice. Speaking at the TSECL corporate office, Nath commended power corporation employees for ensuring uninterrupted electricity supply even during challenging situations.
Highlighting progress, Nath stated that the Tripura State Electricity Corporation Limited (TSECL) is the first PSU in the state to approve dearness allowance, adding Rs 55 lakh to the government’s monthly expenditure starting November.
In a major crackdown, 540 anti-hook line drives this year resulted in the disconnection of 3,041 illegal lines, fines totaling Rs 1.56 crore, and the recovery of Rs 1.18 crore.
Tripura generates 600 MW of electricity, surpassing the state’s 250 MW demand. The surplus allows the export of 60 MW to Bangladesh, which owes Rs 135 crore, including late fees. Most of the state’s power comes from Palatana (537 MW), with contributions from Ramchandranagar (45 MW) and Rokhia (18 MW).
Nath urged citizens to adopt solar panels under the PM Surya Ghar Yojana and detailed plans for expanding underground cabling in Agartala and upgrading substations. With 11.24 lakh electricity consumers, the state is transitioning to prepaid meters, with 1.41 lakh users already on the system.
The minister reaffirmed the government’s comitment to strengthening the state’s power infrastructure and ensuring equitable electricity access.
