Bangladesh Rural Electrification Board (BREB) will ensure 100 percent electricity coverage in the country marking ‘Mujib Barsho’, the birth centenary of Father of the Nation, Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman. Besides, the users will also get quality service.
The speakers said this at the annual conference of BREB general managers at its headquarter in the capital on Saturday. State Minister for Power, Energy and Mineral Resources Nasrul Hamid was the chief guest in the coference. He has urged officials of Bangladesh Rural Electrification Board (BREB) to pursue rural people to raise their electricity consumption to 1,000 kilowatt-hour (kWh) from existing 98 kWh.
“You have to take prompt initiative so that rural consumers can increase their consumption to 1000 kWh,” he said The state minister said as fast as the electricity consumption rises, the overall development will accelerate.
His call came against the backdrop of surplus electricity as the country’s power production capacity is now 22,000 MW against the average demand of 12,000 MW. The demand further drops to 6,000 MW in winter and a huge amount of electricity remains idle for lack of demand.
For this, the government has to incur huge financial losses by paying private power producers from whome they purchase electricity at a higher tariff than the selling rate. The conference was also addressed by BREB Chairman Moin Uddin and Power Cell Director General Mohammad Hossain.
Nasrul Hamid said the Power Division has declared the ‘Mujib Borsho’ as the ‘Service Year’ to improve services in the power sector. He said as part of the ‘Mujib Borsho’ programmes, the government has set a target to ensure cent percent electrification in the grid area by June this year and in off-grid area by December. The state minister said people now want quality electricity with improved services. “They don’t want to see any forced shutdown or tripping in the electricity supply,” he added.
According to BREB’s target for ‘Mujib Barsho’, they will ensure 100 percent electricity coverage; continuation of 'Alor Feriwala' programme to resolve customer harassment; ensure uninterrupted power and implement ‘Amar Gram Amar Shohor’ programme. Besides, some 2.5 lakh prepaid meters will be installed during the period acroess the country.
In addition, various programmes like, enforcing 'zero tolerance' policy against corruption; introducing 'paperless office' to build 'Digital Bangladesh'; establishing 2,000 eco-friendly Solar Irrigation Pumps; improving the strength of youth - enrichment of Bangladesh to develop skilled manpower through training will also be implemented this year.
