The Institution of Engineers has asked the Government of India to drop the idea of enacting a fresh electricity legislation after scrapping the three existing Acts.
Instead, the country's top engineers' body has recommended that existing Acts be amended to incorporate the positive proposals in the draft Electricity Bill, 2000.
This was the spirit of the deliberations at the two-day workshop that concluded here yesterday. It was the Government of India that had asked the institution to give its view after holding a workshop.
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The organisers were not prepared for such strong views on the draft Electricity Bill, 2000. The engineers were harsh and critical of the Centre's attempt to bring a comprehensive legislation replacing the existing Acts governing the country's power industry.
The workshop agreed that reform and restructuring of the power sector in the proper direction is necessary. But, the draft Bill in its present form will not secure the purpose of supply of electricity of proper quality at reasonable rate.
Second, the three Acts of 1910, 1948 and 1998 have "served the country well". However, some amendments might be incorporated to meet the goal. Third, unless the failure of the present Acts is analysed, "is it necessary to bring a new Bill?" asked the workshop speakers. They also demanded that a white paper be published by the Centre to list the shortcomings of the existing Acts.
Fourth, there are certain provisions in the Electricity Bill, 2000 which can be incorporated through amendments of the existing Acts.
Fifth, the organising committee of the workshop was empowered to send clause-by-clause views and observations and suggestions to the authorities.
There were several speakers who said in unequivocal terms that the new draft Bill should be totally scrapped. Others were not so hostile, and, were ready to accept some of the good features of the draft Bill.
Almost all speakers felt that the Centre has erred in asking the National Council of Applied Economic Research (NCAER) to prepare the draft. "It is at best a background paper for discussion," said a senior member of the Institution of Engineers. Another member felt that the NCAER was not competent to take up the task as it had no exposure to the workings and problems of the power sector.
There were demands that the Centre should first publish a white paper on the experience of the power sector reforms since 1991 in several states before recommending such reforms on a national scale.
There was another demand that the task of writing the necessary amendments be handed over to a national commission of experts from the power industry.
Some of the speakers were worried that the Government of India was keen on introducing the new legislation in the monsoon session of Parliament which begins on July 15. So, immediate action has to be taken to drop the new draft Bills and incorporate necessary amendments in the existing Acts.