Bhopal, June 17 (IANS) The Madhya Pradesh government has sanctioned a substantial investment of Rs 5,163 crore aimed at overhauling and modernising the state’s power transmission infrastructure in existing projects.

This decision, taken during a Cabinet meeting of the Chief Minister Mohan Yadav led-government on Tuesday, is part of a broader strategy by the state to address persistent inefficiencies, reduce power transmission losses, and ensure reliable electricity supply across urban and rural areas.

“The amount will be invested in improving the power transmission system in existing projects. It will benefit consumers in terms of getting quality and uninterrupted power supply in the state,” Urban Development Minister Kailash Vijayvargiya said.

The funding is expected to support a range of initiatives under the Revamped Distribution Sector Scheme (RDSS), a central government-backed programme designed to improve the operational and financial health of state-owned power transmission and distribution companies.

The scheme emphasises infrastructure upgrades, smart metering, feeder segregation, and system strengthening to reduce aggregate technical and commercial (AT&C) losses to below 15 per cent by end of 2025.

Madhya Pradesh’s discoms have historically struggled with high losses, which reportedly escalated from Rs 35,676 crore to nearly Rs 52,978 crore over five years, despite earlier reform efforts.

A significant portion of the approved funds will be directed towards the installation of prepaid smart meters for consumers, distribution transformer metering, and feeder-level monitoring systems.

These upgrades are intended to enhance billing efficiency, curb power theft, and provide real-time data for better load management.

The investment will also support the modernisation of substations, replacement of outdated conductors, and capacity augmentation in high-demand zones.

“The government aims to ensure that the benefits of this investment reach the last mile,” the minister said.

Rural electrification, improved voltage regulation, and uninterrupted power supply to agricultural consumers are among the key priorities.

The initiative is also expected to generate employment opportunities through infrastructure development and technical support services in the state.

–IANS

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