Individuals, groups to handle power supply

The Haryana government seems to have dropped its plans of handing over electricity distribution to a single private sector operator in Gurgaon.

The Haryana government seems to have dropped its plans of handing over electricity distribution to a single private sector operator in Gurgaon. Instead, it would now offer micro franchise to individuals and social groups for 1-2 feeders to check power theft and line losses.

HT Image

The state-run distribution company DHBVN (Dakshin Haryana Bijli Vitran Nigam) will ask the developers of private colonies to improve power infrastructure in their colonies. As per the earlier plan, the upgradation of power infrastructure was supposed to be done by the proposed franchiser.

In 2008, the DHBVN had mooted an idea of handing over power distribution system of Gurgaon and Panipat to private operators. But it failed to upgrade infrastructure, especially in private developers' townships, resulting into frequent breakdowns and hour-long outages.

The then DHBVN managing director Anurag Aggarwal had announced that the franchise company would not only have to invest to the tune of R1000 crores for upgrading distribution infrastructure, they would also ensure 24X7 electricity supply to the consumers without hiking the tariff. However, the matter remained in cold storage after lakhs of DHBVN employees opposed this move.

The incumbent DHBVN chairman and managing director Devender Singh has made it clear that there was no immediate plan for introducing single-franchise system for Gurgaon.

"Instead we have decided to give out the feeders which report high aggregate technical and commercial (AT&C) losses to local individual or social groups. Such individuals and groups would be given targets on AT&C losses and be rewarded on the basis of their performance," he added.