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

Maharashtra
WAY FORWARD
Important areas needing active efforts in immediate future are as under:
i) The company should form a core group to identify its total requirements of all
relevant data pertaining to administrative, financial and operational activities of
the company as well as the presentation of various outputs from the same for
efficient decision-making. This should be attended to on top priority so that when
the holding company of MSEB takes action on implementation of the
computerised Information System, MSEDCL would have finalised its own
requirements.
ii) Besides intensifying actions to reduce distribution losses by implementing other
measures such as fixing capacitors, addition of new lines and sub-stations, etc.,
immediate modifications to trapping of relevant information of energy meter
readings without any human effort or manipulation, directly from information
database explained above as well as from energy meter readings of consumers as
soon as the readings are validated would be required. Also the procedure of
conducting energy audit may have to be critically reviewed and modified.
In the modified procedure, the focus of field officers will have to shift from
simply submitting energy audit data to higher officers in the hierarchy to taking
full responsibility and accountability by the concerned officer in respect of losses
in the network/equipments under his control. Target of reducing distribution
losses should be set separately and also individually for each in-charge of the
area and for each feeder/DTC, express feeder as the case may be. Performance
appraisal of the officers-in-charge could be based on the degree of success
achieved in meeting the targets set.
iii) The arrears of revenue have assumed alarming proportions. Special efforts are
required to reduce these arrears. Some out of box thinking may also be required
to find out ways to reduce the arrears. MSEDCL regularly publishes names of
major defaulters and the amount of arrears of revenue due from them in the local
newspapers. However, it is not clear if this results in prompt payment by such
defaulters. Otherwise, it would result only in additional cash out flow for
payment of advertisement charges.
The legal issue whether, the premises where supply is given as well as the
occupier of the premises, could be jointly and severally be made responsible for
payment of electricity charges may be investigated. If found feasible, necessary
modifications to the conditions of supply could be proposed to MERC for
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