The Ashok Gehlot-led Congress government in the state is witnessing criticism around several issues related to women, crime, law and order, power crisis, and more. Amidst all of this, a video of a state minister went viral on social media, where he can be seen boasting about solving the electricity problem in the state.
The Minister lamented that he was on the brink of resolving the state’s electricity woes when the Russia-Ukraine conflict threw a wrench into his plans. A video of his statement has gained widespread attention.
Shale Mohammad, the Cabinet Minister of Minority Affairs and Waqf in Rajasthan, asserted that he was on the verge of tackling the longstanding electricity crisis in the state before the disruption caused by the Russia-Ukraine war. An undated video of his statement has circulated widely on the internet.
BJP spokesperson Shehzad Poonawalla took to social media platform X (formerly known as Twitter) to share the video in which the Rajasthan Minister claims to have been close to solving the electricity issue, only to be hindered by the Russia-Ukraine conflict.
On social media platform X he wrote, “This is the Congress govt in Rajasthan Lies & fakery! Rajasthan Minister Shale Mohammad says that he had almost solved the electricity issue in the area but unfortunately Ukraine Russia war took place & everything got disturbed These are the state of guarantees of Congress! Jhooth ki Guarantee = Congress”
This is the Congress govt in Rajasthan
Lies & fakery!
Rajasthan Minister Shale Mohammad says that he had almost solved the electricity issue in the area but unfortunately Ukraine Russia war took place & everything got disturbed
These are the state of guarantees of Congress!… pic.twitter.com/xSnhQP9R4k
— Shehzad Jai Hind (@Shehzad_Ind) October 25, 2023
Nightly power cuts have become a prevalent issue in different parts of Rajasthan, impacting both industrial activities and the daily routines of people in towns, district centres, and rural regions. According to a Business Standard report from August 2023, this spike in electricity demand is linked to the extended delay in monsoon rains.
Bhaskar A. Sawant, the principal secretary of the state’s energy department, revealed that the daily peak demand for electricity has surged to approximately 16,000 megawatts (Mw), causing a deficit of around 2,000 Mw. He assured that divisional headquarters and essential emergency services have been exempted from these power interruptions.
Sawant also noted that two units, equivalent to 910 Mw, at the Chabbra thermal plant under the Rajasthan Rajya Vidyut Utpadan Nigam were presently inactive due to routine annual maintenance work.
Furthermore, a 250 Mw unit at the Kota thermal plant, two units totaling 910 Mw at the Suratgarh thermal plant, and one 250 Mw unit at the Chhabra Thermal plant were temporarily shut down due to unforeseen technical issues. It was anticipated that these units would be back in operation by September 2023.
In addition to these challenges, there was a significant 38 percent reduction in wind energy generation. The heightened demand for electricity, combined with the closure of these power units, necessitated enforced power cuts lasting at least one to one and a half hours during nighttime in August 2023, primarily due to decreased rainfall.
