Xavier Institute of Management Bhubaneswar (XIMB) will be rolling out the successful panchayat-based rural electricity bill collection model developed and implemented in Orissa to other states.
XIMB has been invited to see the feasibility of replicating this experience in Karnataka. Though the intervention is too nascent to come to any conclusions, the results have not been as spectacular as they are in Orissa.
A high level delegation from Karnataka led by the MD, KPTCL, visited Orissa to personally acquaint themselves with the process.
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Other states in the pipeline are Punjab, West Bengal and Uttar Pradesh (Noida Power Company). Some American firms are also in touch with XIMB for roll out of the model.
An analysis of the Orissa situation has triggered the thought process that while the concept is well beyond the stage of infancy and is working in Orissa, it needs to be substantially altered to be applicable to Karnataka or any other state.
In Karnataka, which has distribution of electricity still in government control, irrigation pump set load is higher while a well-entrenched village level political establishment in the form of panchayats undermine the process of village electricity committee formation to ensure compliance.
In Karnataka, any initiative has to be acceptable and owned by panchayats. Outsourcing of revenue will be to a panchayat and limited to LT sector and include minor technical services.
The collection person should also provide a bank guarantee of a month