In November 2014, within six months of assuming power, Prime Minister Narendra Modi initiated far-reaching reforms in the power sector. Till then, heavy losses were reported in transmission and distribution (T&D), most of which were theft. The National Grid Mission started around that time and professionals were deputed to apply correctives. Things have changed drastically in this sector during his 10 years of tenure.
Before assuming the charge as 14th PM of Bharat, Modi had remained Chief Minister of Gujarat from 2001 to 2014. In his long stint, Modi had implemented many innovative schemes, with the power sector remaining a thrust area. Gujarat was perhaps the first state where people started using low-wattage CFL bulbs, instead of the power guzzlers then in vogue all over.
In August 2004, Modi worked to introduce the Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition (SCADA) system in the power sector. SCADA systems are immensely useful in controlling, monitoring and analysing industrial processes and devices. It has both software and hardware components. Thus Modi had a decade of experience regarding SCADA systems when he became PM.
As Modi had seen its efficacy first hand as CM, he got it replicated at the national level on getting an opportunity. According to some estimates, this has helped in saving thousands of crores of rupees, and kept power prices low for the consumers. Simultaneously with implementing SCADA system, Modi also focussed on production of more electricity.
Smart metering undertaken on a large scale in many states is another power sector reform aimed at reducing human interference. Unfortunately, whisper campaigns were started to discredit the smart metering system, blaming fast running meters for higher electricity bills. The fact of the matter is these meters give correct log details of the power used by consumers. Earlier, with the connivance of meter readers, the power bills were kept artificially low. The service provider and the government lost in revenue which was stolen by consumers and power sector bureaucracy.
In the Kashmir valley, this whisper campaign has often led to protest demonstrations by local residents. In dozens of cases, Power Development Department (PDD) staff is confronted and not allowed to install smart meters. However, the installation of smart meters in most cases is being handled by private vendors. The smart meters will make the field jobs of meter readers redundant as they will not need to go from house to house under their watch. Instead, it will be possible to collect all the relevant details sitting in a central office.
Paying for power consumed was never an idea that a good number of people in the Kashmir valley were used to. During decades of terrorism, the PDD employees made little or no efforts to collect revenue in lieu of the power supplied. Instead, terrorism was used as a fit-all alibi (a la one size fits all) to not visit any localities and give any bills to the consumers. All this is changing with the number of metered customers going up slowly.
The local politicians have often been found misleading consumers. The consumers are told that they were hardly ever asked to pay for the electricity consumed earlier. Never mind the fact that this power theft caused economic loss running into thousands of crores which had to be underwritten by successive Central governments.
The latest trend that noticed in some areas over Jammu & Kashmir is the spread of rumours that the power supply position is worsening. The hydel power being produced in J&K is being exported even as the locals suffer is another favourite canard spread by petty politicians.
