For a State that runs on DG sets and is practically devoid of power distribution logistics beyond the State capital of Patna, Bihar is set to create history when electricity starts flowing to the nooks and corners of the State by end of this fiscal.

According to Mr P.K. Rai, Chairman of Bihar State Electricity Board (BSEB), aided by the Backward Regions Grant Fund of the Centre, Bihar is set to revive majority of its defunct and obsolete 72,000-km transmission and distribution network by March 2012.

The Rs 1,500-crore project is being executed by the Power Grid Corporation.

But this is just the beginning of Bihar's journey to a ‘power'-full tomorrow. Parallel to its host of initiatives to tie-up adequate supplies; Bihar is making path-breaking attempts to create a stable and efficient distribution infrastructure complete with legal and administrative measures to prevent pilferage and theft of electricity.

PPAs in cities

Aided by Asian Development Bank, the State has started implementing a Rs 700-crore project to modernise distribution logistics in seven identified cities and towns including Patna in the next two years.

“We have already invited global tenders for the project and packages are likely to be awarded by December,” Mr Rai said.

BSEB is currently toying with a proposal to take PPP (private-public-participation route) for operation of the distribution facilities in the seven cities and towns. “The proposal is still at a nascent stage,” Mr Rai said.

Rural collection

Aiming at “100 per cent metering”, Bihar is depending heavily on the newly created “common service centres” at every Panchayat to ensure timely collection of bills from rural consumers, once in two months. The urban consumers of course will have to pay monthly.

Considering the present level of low industrialisation which is bound to create huge peak/off-peak imbalance in consumption, the State has introduced dual tariff mechanism. Bulk consumers, are offered lower tariff in off-peak hours. Measures are also afoot to split agriculture demand from the rural domestic consumption.

Special Courts

Prevention of pilferage is perhaps the most important administrative measure being taken. At least three special courts are already in place at Patna, Gaya and Muzaffarpur to deal with such cases. What is more important, BSEB has started registering criminal cases against its employees for involvement in theft.

“Earlier we used to take only departmental actions in such cases,” Mr Rai said.

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