Prime Minister Narendra Modi, in a recent webinar for “effective implementation of Union Budget proposals in the power sector,” said that new policy reforms in the power distribution sector are expected soon.
The Prime Minister noted that the government was engaged in removing the problems of power supply and distribution, across the country. For this, necessary policy and regulatory framework related to discoms are going to be made, he assured. The government believed that consumers should get electricity in the same way as other retail items, the PM added.
This implies that the proposed separation of “carriage” and “content” in power distribution would be implemented soon.
To encourage competition in the power distribution sector, the government is working on reducing the entry barriers. There is a proposal to make supply of electricity (which is the “content”) licence-free.
Prime Minister Modi said that the government was working on plans to help discoms in infrastructure-related issues – mainly upgrading to prepaid smart meters and putting up feeder separation systems.
In the coming days, the campaign to improve, strengthen and strengthen the power sector will be further intensified, the PM asserted.
Power vs Industry
PM Modi highlighted the government’s new attitude towards the power sector. Earlier the power sector was seen merely as a support system to the industrial sector. However, today, the power sector is being viewed as an entity by itself. Electricity was important by itself and this importance does not come due to industries alone, the PM expounded. This is exactly why so much attention was being given today to availability of electricity to the common man.
