Midweek Conversation—Sunil Mitra (Additional Chief Secretary-Power)
Just two days more in the office from which he had taken few major decisions in power sector—starting from restructuring the ailing state power board and giving birth to two new corporation to making the board more consumer friendly with a corporate look. He is the man who was successful in bringing DFID funds to Bengal for reconstructing infrastructure—providing the rural population to urban population the best government services. Sunil Mitra, one of the most handsome IAS officers, Bengal has will be taking up the post of secretary in disinvestments in Ministry of Finance, under one more great Bengali—Pranab Mukherjee. In a tête-à-tête, exclusively for Hindustan Times, speaks on the necessity of rise in power price, the cooperation he received from trade union in across political colours and his experience as the additional chief secretary, state power department. Excerpts: -
So you are leaving for Delhi, with another most important assignment in the disinvestments department. How are you looking back at your days inside the chamber at New Secretariat?
--I was really fortunate enough having a wonderful experience of working under a minister, Mrinal Banerjee, who will always remain as more a human being than a politician. Probably we were the only state power board, where restructuring took place without any compulsory retirement scheme, without any retrenchment and without any single day of political agitation. I wish to thank one and all. When I took the charge as the additional chief secretary, it was not an easy task to give a new shape to state power scenario. We had to bring in new investments as well as carry out our programme for augmentation of capacity. But any way, we had done it without any uncomfortable day of protest. Rather the trade unions cooperated us in all possible manners. It was really wonderful looking back my days at New Secretariat.
People are saying that it’s ultimately the restructuring process, which has taken a toll on the generation. Is this true?
--The restructuring of the state-owned power utilities has been taken up with the objectives of their achieving sustainable viability and higher service delivery levels within the framework of statute to become best among the power utilities in the country over the next three years. The structural changes necessitated by this process have affected mainly the erstwhile WBSEB whose distribution and transmission business have been corporatised and transferred to two government-owned companies. There has been no such structural change of the generation companies and there is no connection between the restructuring exercise and power generation activity.
Last year it was decided to keep a uniform rise in power price for the next three years. But this year, consumers’ interest was overlooked, and we have to shell out more from our pocket for paying the power bill. Your take…
--Don’t look it in that way. The coal price has seen a steady rise in the past year. Even the coal we are importing from Indonesia, have to upload in Andaman. From there we have to bring the coal. Its heavily expensive affair. Furthermore, the price of deep-mined coal is too high. Even the central sector has increased the per unit power price. We are buying power at a higher rate. So what to do? The state board can’t run on deficit. Like any other corporate house, it is also in business. The consumers have to consider these factors too. And if it is less than 200 units, the state would provide subsidy. So whats wrong in it? Even after this, Kolkatans have to pay less than their counterparts living in Delhi or Mumbai.
CESC is saying that it is going through an acute power crisis because of import restrictions of the WBSEDCL. Is it true?
--WBSEDCL as a distribution company can supply power to CESC after meeting the demand of its own consumers. WBSEDCL has no authority or means to restrict the import of power by CESC from any sources other than itself. Incidentally, CESC has no power purchase agreement or even memorandum of understanding (MoU) with WBSEDCL for purchase of power from the latter. Furthermore, CESC did not have such agreement with West Bengal State Electricity Board (WBSEB) either. The practice has been that CESC intimates its daily shortfall estimation to WBSEB or WBSEDCL and the latter diverts as much of electricity that it can after meeting the demand of its own consumers, to CESC. Due to a variety of reasons, WBSEDCL is facing acute shortages of power availability during the evening peak hours and necessarily therefore, has to restrict the power it can give to CESC in the evening peak hours. WBSEDCL has presently, over 77 lakh consumers all over the state. Despite this, it is providing 400-450 mega watts of electricity daily to CESC to help it meet its peak hour demand.
EOM
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