Agartala, June 06, 2025: In a significant step towards modernisation and transparency in the power sector, the Tripura government will soon deploy drones to detect electricity theft and illegal hook-ups across the state, State Power Minister Ratan Lal Nath announced on Friday.
The minister was speaking during the inauguration of a 33-kilovolt power substation at Sekerkot in West Tripura district, which is expected to enhance power quality and reliability for several areas.
“With the commissioning of this substation, residents of Sekerkot, Bikramnagar, Chaumuhani Bazar, Kanchanmala, Gokulnagar, Champamura, Phultali and some parts of Pandavpur will now get uninterrupted power supply,” Nath said.
Addressing the issue of frequent outages during storms, the minister clarified that precautionary shutdowns are often necessary. “Many people think that power outages occur due to faults during storms, but in reality, we cut off power supply as a precaution to avoid accidents. States like Odisha face more storms but rely on advanced technology—we are also moving in that direction,” he added.
Nath highlighted the state’s growing emphasis on renewable energy due to declining gas reserves. “Earlier Tripura was generating only 3 MW of solar power, now we are generating over 28 MW,” he informed.
The minister encouraged citizens to take advantage of the Pradhan Mantri Muft Vidyut Yojana, which provides subsidies and loans for solar panel installation. “This will reduce electricity bills and also provide an opportunity to generate additional electricity,” he said.
On combating power theft, Nath stressed, “We are taking strict steps to identify illegal hooklines, and the public is also cooperating. Since this government came to power, more than 1.36 lakh free electricity connections have been provided under the Saubhagya Yojana.”
He further stated, “In the last seven years, we have provided free housing, ration and water connections. These were not available during previous governments. Today, citizens are getting the benefits of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s ‘Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikas’ vision.”
Concluding his address, the minister urged citizens to pay their electricity bills on time and support efforts to curb power theft and wastage. “We are committed to bringing in more advanced technology to future-proof Tripura’s power sector. The use of drones is one such step in that direction,” he asserted.
