Crack down on power theft
Apropos of the column “Will Piyush go the Montek way?”, there is no doubt that the power sector, especially discom tariffs, needs serious reforms. But to think that that alone could be the solution is robbing Peter to pay Paul. If discoms can’t get ATC losses under control, no wonder then if they squeeze paying consumers of electricity, whether industry or households, harder. It must be made clear at the outset that illegal power consumption are being subsidised by the paying customers. The bill could be lot lower for the consumers if the discoms didn’t have to make up for the ATC losses. You may choose to argue that it is the slum-dwellers and villagers who steal most of the power, but do a ground-level check on how many small industries steal power along the highways, and you will be surprised by the numbers. This perhaps even happens in collusion with the discoms. Time to crack down on that rather than breaking the consumer’s back.
Sumona Pal
Kolkata
Step on the gas on reforms
Apropos of your edit “Two-speed recovery” (FE, October 14), India is moving too slow on key reforms. The Congress party delayed the passing of the GST Bill though it would have been a manna for doing business. Banks are burdened with NPAs while global demand has slowed. US recovery also means that foreign investment could be lesser than expected. The government must now fast forward reforms, or it will be another policy paralysis era.
Prahlad Bhasin
Mumbai
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