This refers to ‘Cabinet to consider easing open access for power’, June 3. Prime Minister Manmohan Singh’s reported thinking on facilitating open access in power is a good idea. The PM is planning to take some of the power generated by large power utilities owned by the government and to allocate this for ‘open access’ for use by large industrial units. This will lower the costs of power in the trading market since there will be more supplies and bring down the rates.
The PM also needs to take firm action against state governments and state electricity boards which do not allow electricity producers to sell their electricity outside the state by denying them access to power transmission lines. The government can pass an order against this or call a chief ministers’ conference to resolve the issue.
N Kumar, via email