NCCOEEE Delegates meet IIPA on 2006 July 21

July 2006 - December 2006 Index

NCCOEEE Delegates meet IIPA on 2006 July 21

The government of India assigned the talk of review of the Electricity Act, 2003 to the Indian Institute of Public Administration(IIPA) New Delhi early this year. In the March end the GOI directed the IIPA to seek the views of representatives of Com. A.B. Bardhan and E. Balanandan for the said review of Electricity Act, 2003. Accordingly IIPA fixed a meeting on 21^st July’06 afternoon and it was held. Participants were:

Indian Institute of Public Administration:

1. Dr. P.L. Sanjeeva Reddy, IAS (Retired), Chairman

2. Shri Abraham, Former Secretary(power), }

Govt. of India & Chairman, MSEB } Maharashtra &

3. Shri M.V. Dhekne, Former Technical Member, MSEB } Gujarat

4. Shri Sethu Madhavan, Former AS &FA, }

Ministry of Power. GOI } Karnataka

5. Shri P.C. Shekar Reddy, Project Coordinator } Inception Report

& Over all Coordination

6. Shri Poorna Lingam, Former Secretary to GOI& }

Chairman, Tamil Nadu SEB } Tamil Nadu

7. Shri Siva Rami Reddy, Former Chief Engineer }

(Reforms), APSEB } Andhra Pradesh

8. Shri V.K. Sood, Former Chairman, Delhi Electricity }

Regulatory Commission }Madhya Pradesh

9. Shri V.S. Ailawadi, Former Special Secretary, GOI }& Uttar Pradesh

& Chairman, ERC, Haryana }

10. Shri P.N. Bhandari, Former Additional } Rajasthan

Chief Secretary, Chairman, RSEB

11. Shri P.S. Bami, Former CMD, NTPC Ltd. } Assam

12. Shri D.P. Bagchi, Former Secretary to GOI & } Orissa &

Chief Secretary, Govt. of Orissa } West Bengal

National Coordination Committee of Electricity Employees and Engineers

Com. E. Balanandan, B.S. Meel, K.R. Unnithan, }Electricity Employees Fede-

Ranjit Singh& S. Pancharatnam }ration of India

Com. Chakradar P. Singh, Mohan Sharma, } All India Federation of

& U. Deb } Electricity Employees

Shri Akhtar Hussain & Keshavlal Gupta }Akhil Bharateeya Bidyut

Maha Mazdoor Sangh

Er. Sukhdev Singh } All India Federation of

Power Diploma Engineers

The subject matter for discussion : Impacts of restructuring of State Electricity Boards

Com. E. Balanandan presented the views indicating that the stand of NCCOEEE is broadly on the lines of the memorandum submitted to the Prime Minister on 7^th september’05, the interim report of the high level committee constituted by NCCOEEE on government power policies and reorganization of SEBs and a recent document of EEFI on disastrous power policy, ignoring federal polity, curtailing states power and demanding Scrapping of Electricity Act, 2003.

He further stated that broadly the national experience of power reforms during one and half decade is dismissal, as generation capacity addition targets had slipped nearly 50% plan after plan since 8^th Five Year Plan. The burden of subsidy on the states exchequer has increased; the cost of electricity also going high substantially and the plight of rural electrification is disturbing. To reduce the cost of generation of electricity through privatisation is not the panacea and suggested the policy of bulk manufacturing of equipment after standardization instead of ordering units of diverse size from different manufacturers on a piece-meal basis, and by reducing the fuel cost, by pursuing a correct fuel policy. He further stated while analyzing this EA-2003, little more critically, it has been observed that suggested approach of unbundling of SEBs, Corporatisation and privatisation etc, may not be necessary. New initiative for privatisation – the aspiration of private capital has properly reflected in the National Electricity and Tariff policy. Mega Power Policy and Ultra Mega Power policy are the outcome of the above but stipulation to allot this power to a state is the privatisation of distribution of power to the cities having one million or more population is an extra constitutional pressure for privatisation.

Everybody from the NCCOEEE side represented their views on the likely impacts of the reorganization, say for example, putting in question the continuity, quality and reliability of electricity supply, besides eroding service to the consumer, increase of tariff for errant power supplies, demoralizing the employees and generally worsening the balance sheet of power utilities year by year.

Shri Abraham from IIPA side very much appreciated the contents of the interim report and the views of NCCOEEE representatives representing ground realities and said since there is pressure from power ministry for early submission of review report time may not permit for another interaction but we will go through and take into consideration the suggestions in the memorandum to the Prime Minister, Interim report, and the recent July Document of EEFI on the power policy.

National Coordination Committee of Electricity Employees and Engineers (NCCOEEE) had decided to organise state level conventions and dharnas in the state capitals on 19^th September 2006 solicitating adoption of a resolution for national action.


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