It is reported that the Electricity Department is already burdened with a debt of ₹1 lakh crore.
The newly appointed Minister for Electricity states that it will take 40 years to restructure and reform the department.
No one knows which political parties will come to power over the next 40 years, or how they will function.
Several reasons are cited for the department's financial losses.
A multitude of factors are blamed, including irregularities in the tender process, transmission losses, power stations failing to operate at their full production capacity, and the high cost incurred in purchasing electricity from private entities.
Perusing the CAG reports available online reveals a great deal of information regarding these issues.
No one can predict how many years—or how many changes in administration—it will take to rectify all these problems.
Regardless of which government comes to power, there are only two viable ways to rectify the current situation:
1) Increasing electricity production capacity to meet demand—a process estimated to take 40 years to fully implement.
2) Reducing electricity consumption.
To the best of my knowledge, there are a few methods to generate revenue using the existing infrastructure without burdening consumers with increased electricity tariffs.
If the government simply keeps in mind the adage "many drops make a mighty ocean," half the problem could be resolved. Naturally, the public must also extend their cooperation.
Strategy #1: There are hundreds of thousands of electricity poles (EB posts) scattered across our state. The government should levy a fee for any posters or advertising hoardings affixed to these poles.
For instance, if an individual or entity intends to put up 100 advertisements, they should be permitted to affix the posters (or hoardings) only after obtaining permission from the Electricity Board and remitting the prescribed fee.
While this method may not generate a massive influx of funds, it would provide the government with a steady, recurring stream of revenue.
Strategy #2: Imposing a slightly higher tax on reels (short videos). This approach offers a dual benefit:
(a) One is the tax revenue (SGST) generated for the State Government.
(b) The other is that, by reducing the time spent watching "Reels," the need to frequently recharge mobile phones is significantly reduced.
Consequently, electricity is conserved. It is my firm belief that, particularly given the presence of hundreds of millions of mobile phones, such a measure is absolutely essential.
Rather than making a sweeping statement about "hundreds of millions of mobile phones," let us examine this from a slightly more scientific perspective.
For instance, let us calculate how many mobile phones, if charged simultaneously, would consume 1 GW of electricity. (Please feel free to point out any errors; they will be corrected.)
Mobile Phones: Electricity Consumption if charged for 1 hour continuously
Laptops: Electricity Consumption if charged for 1 hour continuously
Strategy #3: Utilizing sensor technology. This entails devices automatically switching themselves off when they are not needed. This method is already widely employed within IT companies.
To encourage its adoption in households, incentives—such as a subsidy on electricity bills for a period of 3 to 6 months—could be offered (similar to the subsidies currently provided for solar energy systems).
Strategy #4: Continuously fostering public awareness regarding electricity conservation.
Thirty years ago—during the era when Doordarshan was the sole television broadcaster—the following slogan was frequently displayed on screens:
"Electricity Conservation: Essential at This Very Moment"
Today, however, television channels are perpetually occupied with broadcasting movies and daily soap operas.
The newly elected government should now make it mandatory for *all* television channels to display the slogan, "Electricity Conservation: Essential at This Very Moment." Although the Broadcasting Department falls under the purview of the Central Government, the State Government should apprise the Centre of the current situation and take the necessary steps to ensure this is implemented.
Thank you,
Sathish
