Power distribution to go private
For now, in Panipat and Gurgaon
Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, December 8
As a major reform initiative, the state government has decided to hand over the distribution of electricity in Gurgaon and Panipat to private parties.

Giving the go-ahead to the power utilities in this regard today, Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda asked it to engage distribution franchisees for these towns through open bidding.

An official spokesman said the step would bring in efficiency in the private sector management without losing the ownership of assets.

The go-ahead came during the Chief Minister’s meeting with senior officials of the power sector to discuss an action plan for reducing transmission losses, checking power theft and streamlining distribution. The Financial Commissioner, Power, Madhusudan Prasad, said the distribution franchisee would help controll losses in these areas. There would be no retrenchment of employees.

The presentation was based on a study by a team of engineers from the Dakshin Haryana Bijli Vitran Nigam (DHBVN) after a visit to Bhiwandi in Maharashtra, where the experiment had been highly successful.

Hooda also reviewed the position of AT & C losses and directed both distribution companies, DHBVN and UHBVN, to launch a campaign to control losses.

Anurag Aggarwal, MD, DHBVN, said a drive had been launched in this regard on December 1 for urban and industrial areas and would now be extended to rural areas.Vijayendra Kumar, MD, UHBVN, said that feeder/ division /circle-wise targets had been fixed and officers would be held responsible for not meeting the targets.

Hooda directed the officers to bring down AT &C loss levels to 25 per cent by March 31 next. Firm action should be taken against those caught stealing power, he told the officers.

He instructed the Home Secretary and the DGP to provide police help to the power authorities.

The Chief Minister said incentives should be given to consumers opting for electricity meters. He appreciated the UHBVN for its “no metering, no transformer” policy. Also at the meeting were Power Minister Mahendra Pratap Singh, Principal Secretary to CM Chhatar Singh and Chief Secretary Urvashi Gulati.