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Journalism of Courage
CHANDIGARH, Aug 14: The Haryana government today kicked-off the much-awaited power reforms, by initiating steps to set up two separate companies for generation and transmission of power 8211; Haryana Vidyut Prasaran Nigam Transco and Haryana Vidyut Utapadan Nigam Genco 8211; replacing the ailing Haryana State Electricity Board HSEB.
Power Department sources said the Haryana State Electricity Regulatory Commission HSERC will be constituted with the swearing in of its members on Monday. The names of the members have been finalised by a high-level panel headed by Vice-Chancellor of Maharshi Dayanand University Lt Gen. retd O. P. Kaushik. The panel will regulate generation, transmission and distribution of power by public as well as private sector in the state.
The state government has appointed HSEB chairman Ranjit Issar as the chairman-cum-managing director CMD of Transco. However, it is yet to take any decision about the top position of the generation company.
Under the reforms programme, the government had planned to set up new companies for distribution of power, but the Power Department officials are tight-lipped about the progress in this regard.
The issue had led to a major controversy after doubts were raised regarding the viability of such ventures.The restructuring programme is being carried out with soft loans from the World Bank and other leading agencies. While the World Bank has sanctioned a loan of 600 million approximately Rs 2,400 crore, it has so far released only the first tranche of 60 million approximately Rs 240 crore.
The loan 8211; which has been sanctioned under a new type of lending instrument, adaptable programme loan APL 8211; is directly linked to the progress in the power sector reforms programme.The remaining 540 million is to be granted in phases, depending on the performance of the state authorities on this front. The state authorities are talking to OECF Japan, KFW Germany and other institutions for another loan of 400 million for the programme.
