Report of Indian Institute of Public Administration ... - Ministry of Power

Collection
State Reports (Vol.-III)
Study on `Impact of Restructuring of SEBs’
DHBVNL has made arrangements with commercial banks, post offices, private
collection agencies and departmental counters for receiving the payment of electricity
bills by the consumers. Collection has also been partly out-sourced.
Redressal of Consumer Grievances
There has been delay in setting up the grievance redressal mechanism as mandated
under the EA, 2003. In 2004, HERC issued the regulation on the subject. During
discussion held with the Commission, it was stated that the Government had objected
to the Commission’s right to issue regulations under the Act. The Commission had
stood its ground that it had legal powers to frame regulations. The objections of the
State Government appeared ingenious, since the Commissions in other States, by
exercising powers under the EA, 2003, had issued similar Regulations. The Appellate
Tribunal, taking suo-motu cognizance of the delay, had issued directions regarding
creation of consumer grievance redressal forums. Accordingly, these forums have
been created by the utility only recently. The composition of the forums with the
serving members of the utility is against the regulations and creates a clash of interest
and reduces the credibility of the grievance redressal machinery to act fairly and
independently.
The data furnished by the DISCOMs does not segregate the type of fault complaints
received by the Utilities and merely depicts a gross picture of the number of
complaints received. Though the number of complaints has reduced since
restructuring, the number is still large. Necessary steps are, therefore, needed to
remedy the situation.
Table: Complaint Received by DHBVNL 6 for faults
Name of
Status before restructuring of SEB Status after restructuring of SEBs
Zone 1993-94 1994-95 1995-96 1996-97 1997-98 1998-99 1999-2000 2000-01 2001-02 2002-03
C.E., Delhi 38370 399030 394227 391489 389946 388926 387270 383619 382635 377650
C.E., Hissar 114221 110322 106116 108281 110986 106801 106981 104971 99585 97209
Total 152591 509352.00 500343 499770 500932 495727 494251 488590 482220 474859
Besides the number of complaints, the data furnished by the DISCOMs suggests that
the average time taken to rectify the faults has further deteriorated.
6 Data for UHBVNL was not available.
2.44