Power Department can be transformed into corporation. Nothing wrong as long it ensures regular power supply to the consumers. However the state Government is cautioned against privatisation of power sector. Pitiless private companies will devour the poor consumers like shark walloping floating objects in the sea. Above 90 percent of the people living in the state are very poor and most of them are in rural areas. They do not have proper shed to protect from deadly cold during winter and scorchy heat during summer. They do not enjoy even the basic amenities. They drink directly from pond without filtration and boiling. Ask the poor people anywhere in any part of the state, to priotise their need. They will say we do not want anything; they will take whatever that comes to them. To such group of people enhanced electricity bill will be a blow like a jolt from the blue. If private companies enter the power tariff will shoot up and the poor people will be in no position to buy electricity. In Delhi a small house having one air conditioner, two or three fans and a freezer pay around Rs 6000 per month. Here in Manipur a well to do family pleads the inability to spend even Rs 1000 per month on electricity. Even the Government employees getting not less than Rs 50000 per month do not inculcate the habit of clearing electricity bill in time. Many of them are defaulters. They are shameless too. They allow their power line to be snapped while indulging in power theft in the night when there would be none to check illegal connection. But a change is seen at the area where pre paid connection has been introduced. A carpenter who has got pre paid facilities said he spends Rs 1100 per month. He said if he did not use the machine for smoothening the face of the wood the monthly rental fee would have been much lower. He does not use more than four bulbs of 15 watts each. Unfortunately the Electricity department cannot extend such facility to all places in Imphal. Whatever the case may be introduction of pre paid system has revolutionised the whole concept of using electricity. If this facility covers the whole seven assembly segments power theft done at workshop, at school and at Government offices will be checked. Misuse of electricity is done mostly at Government offices. The happy news is that the state is going to receive more power from other states from NE region. But electric does not come free. It has to be bought. There is a gulf of difference between the amount spent in buying power and the amount collected as tax from consumers. The Government thinks by transforming the department into corporation the losses may be controlled partially if not fully. Because to make a corporation self sustenance employees have to work sincerely and honestly, in same manner BSNL employees are doing to keep the body alive. More drastic actions may follow. Retrenchment policy may be applied to kick out shirking employees. Manipur desperately improvement in power sector, which has become an acid test for the Congress led Government. Go ahead. The rest can be tackled.
Read more / Original news source: http://manipur-mail.com/power-corporation-in-manipur/
