New Delhi: Power Minister R K Singh on Friday said that India will not import power equipment from China, amid border standoff with China.
During a virtual press conference with state counterparts, he also asserted that the equipment import from China and Pakistan would not be permitted especially on the basis of inspection.
He further said state discoms should not give orders for supply of equipment to Chinese firms.
"We manufacture everything here. India imported Rs 71,000 crore worth power equipment including Rs 21,000 crore from China," Singh said in the state energy ministers conference chaired by him this morning in his opening remarks.
He said: "This (huge import of power equipment) is something we cannot tolerate that a country will transgress into our territory....we will not take anything from China and Pakistan."
He further said, "we will not give permission for import from Prior Reference countries. We are affected. There could be malware or trojen horse in those (imports from China) which they can activate remotely (to cripple our power systems)."
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Sharma further said that it is a pitty that tower elements, conductors, transformers and parts of meters are imported, which are manufactured and available here.
He further stated, "your discoms order equipment from Chinese companies. We request you not to order from Chinese companies."
He stressed that under Atmanirbhar Bharat mission India will not import any equipment from China which is available here and will go for inspection of imported equipment.
Under inspection, the government can deny import of equipment.
The senior minister's assertions assume significance against the backdrop of border standoff between India and China in Ladakh that also saw the death of 20 Indian Army personnel last month.
The minister also annouced about a new scheme for funding discoms which would subsume three schemes-UDAY, DDUGJY and IPDS.
Under the new schemes states would have to give a plan for reducing losses of discoms. The Minister said funds under the scheme would not be released as loan or grants to those discoms which would not adhere to loss reduction trajectory.
"We have to make discoms viable.You have to do it through a PSU or a private player like Delhi did," he noted.
He said the period of outstanding dues would be extended till May, 2020 as against March, 2020 under the liquidity infusion scheme for the ailing power distribution sector, through which the government is looking to infuse around Rs 90,000 crore in the distribution companies (discoms).
The Minister further noted that states have asked for Rs 93,000 crore loans under the package and Rs 20,000 crore has been sanctioned so far.
He also told that states would get five more year to bring down the cross subsidy to 20 per cent level. "We have asked NITI Aayog that achieving the 20 per cent cross subsidy level as per Power Tariff Policy 2016, will not happen now," he noted.
Prior approval for power supply equipment imports from China mandatory: Govt
The power ministry has made prior permission mandatory to import electricity equipment - used in supply network - from prior reference countries like China and Pakistan.
The decision taken by the ministry amid stand-off with China at the border.
For India, China and Pakistan are prior reference counties with whom it shares land border.
Besides, the ministry has made it mandatory to test all imported equipment to be used in power supply system to eliminate possibilities of cyber attacks through malware / Trojans.
In an office order issued on July 2, the ministry said, "Any import of equipment or components or parts from "prior reference" countries as specified or by persons owned by, controlled by, or subject to the jurisdiction or the directions of these 'prior reference' countries will require prior permission of the Government of lndia".
According to the order, all equipment, components, and parts imported for use in the power supply system and network will be tested in the country to check for any kind of embedded malware/trojans/cyber threat and for adherence to Indian standards.
All such testings will be done in certified laboratories that will be designated by the Ministry of Power, it noted.
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"Where the equipment or components/parts are imported from 'prior reference' countries, with special permission, the protocol for testing in certified and designated laboratories shall be approved by the Ministry of Power," it added.
This order will apply to any item imported for end use or to be used as a component, or as a part in manufacturing, assembling of any equipment or to be used in power supply system or any activity directly or indirectly related to power supply system, the ministry said.
Power supply system is a sensitive and critical infrastructure that supports not only our national defence, vital emergency services, including health, disaster response, critical national infrastructure such as classified data & communication services, defence installations, manufacturing establishments, logistics services, but also the entire economy and the day-to-day life of the citizens, the ministry noted.
The ministry is of the view that any danger or threat to power supply system can have catastrophic effects and has the potential to cripple the entire country. Therefore, the power sector is a strategic and critical sector.
The vulnerabilities in the power supply system and network mainly arise out of the possibilities of cyberattacks through malware / Trojans etc embedded in imported equipment, the ministry stated.
It has taken this decision to protect the security, integrity and reliability of the strategically important and critical power supply system and network in the country.
(PTI Report).
