MPEB getting buoyant through I-T, savings

MPEB getting buoyant through I-T, savings
UNITED NEWS OF INDIA

BHOPAL, JULY 2: Hamstrung by fiscal shortages and lackadaisical performance, the Madhya Pradesh Electricity Board has jacked up its gears onto the recovery path through pragmatic measures.

Desisting from freebie schemes, tightening expenditures, tuning the revenue management and making a thorough use of information-technology is now the new mantra to make the board climb the ladder of buoyancy.

Outlining the reforms on the anvil, member (finance) R Julaniya said, ``We are endeavouring to win back the confidence of consumers by formulating a suitable tariff policy.''

If the reforms are assiduously worked on, the pendulum could soon be swinging the positive way'', he noted.

Exuding confidence that the board would be able to break even by December this year, he said that a policy was being worked on to charge those who misuse one-point connections.

On the agriculture front, a policy-change was being suggested wherein farmers with less than one hectare of land and the scheduled caste and scheduled tribe people get free electricity, R Julaniya said.

Installment of metres would be made compulsory and those found using more than the stipulated lot would have to pay, he said.

Ushering in a new era for power reforms and trifurcation of the state electricity board, the state government had signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with the centre, this May, Under which, the union power ministry would provide it with additional 100 MW from the central pool.

In a bid to bolster the consumer facilities, the Board has decided to make optimal utilisation of knowledge-based services, Julaniya said adding, ``We have tied up with Optel to go in for total computerisation of accounting, revenue collection and billing.''

This would make the task easier for consumers who apply for new connections or want to pay their electricity bills, he said.

Elucidating on the measures being taken to check power thefts, he said besides preparing vigilance teams, incentive awards and systematic campaigns were also on the pipeline.

Ruling out any privatisation , he said even disinvestment could be mulled only at a later stage. The Asian Development Bank (ADB) would provide funds and assist in reforms besides providing financial and technical assistance, he added.

The corporate planning group would work in synergy with the ADB for energy audit, human resource planning, environmental and socio-economic generation related issues.

For boosting on-time performance, he said officials would be made accountable for delay in attending consumer complaints.

The state had appointed the Tata Rao Committee to look into the restructuring and privatisation of the power sector, which had spelt the need to reorganise the Board on a functional basis.

The companies, including the MP Power Corporation, MP Transmission Corporation and the MP zonal distribution companies should remain wholly-owned subsidiaries of the board, it had recommended.

Meanwhile, sources said what was actually required was a holistic change in the management philosophy adding improvement in the PLF could be brought about through benchmarking and catalyst management.

Construction of 25 MW small plants and hydel plants should be expedited, the sources observed adding that the viable and the non-viable areas of the MPEB should be separated.