The Samity had fixed a target to bring down the system loss to 11.39 per cent this year in its command area. It has scaled down the system loss to 11.40 percent.

This was revealed at the Annual General Meeting (AGM) of the Samity, held here recently.

On the other hand, the Power Development Board (PDB), with only one fifth of distribution lines of the Samity in the area, has a system loss of about 35 per cent, sources said.

The Nilphamari Polli Bidyut Samity has 2,004 kilometer power supply lines covering five out of six upazilas, giving 39,400 connections and benefiting 10,68,406 households in 240 villages. The PDB has only 391.50 kilometer supply line. The five upazilas are Nilphamari Sadar, Domar, Jaldhaka, Kishoreganj and Dimla.

The Samity's revenue collection rate is 98.09 percent, according to the annual report presented at its 8th AGM.

The Samity made a surplus of Tk 2,85,28,677 this year after meeting all expenses including staff salary and maintenance cost.

Presided over by the Samity's President Habibur Rahman, the AGM was also addressed by, among others, its vice-president Md Habibur Rahman, Secretary Md Sohrab Hossain Shah, Treasurer Md Lutfar Rahman and Advisor Siddika Doulatun Zaman.

In the Annual Report it osso of in the area about 35 per cent with only one fifth power distribution lines compared to a is loss

The Samity brought 44 lakh acres of land under irrigation and helped produce 1.5 lakh tonnes of food grains in the district by connecting 3,424 shallow and 42 deep tube wells last year.

Besides, it helped poverty alleviation in the district by providing power supply to a large number of small industrial units in rural areas. It will extend its distribution network by 259 kilometres next year, sources said.

The loadshedding in its command area is three to four hours a day during peak season (irrigation season) and one to one and a half hours during off-peak season, they said.

Addressing the AGM, General Manager of the Samity, Md Nazibul Islam, said that they are ready to expand power supply network. But designing and extension are being hindered as the PDB is yet to hand over their lines to the Samity despite a government decision.

About 2000 members and representatives of various associations in its command area, its directors, advisors and high officials of Rural Electrification Board (REB), local journalists and elite of the district also attended the AGM.

At the AGM, a seven-member board of Nilphamari Polli Bidyut Samity was elected by members and representatives of various grassroots level associations in the district for one year. The programme concluded with a cultural function.