Power reforms won't electrify the sector

At best, the scheme can be viewed as a one-time measure, while the larger problem of insolvency of discoms remains

On May 12, Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced a stimulus package estimated at about Rs 20 trillion to deal with the economic fallout of Covid-19 and build a self-reliant India or Atmanirbhar Bharat. This announcement was made against the backdrop of bleak growth forecasts for the Indian economy during 2020-21. It is now felt that India’s gross domestic product (GDP) will shrink by about 1.5 per cent, not grow as previously thought. By how much the economy will shrink is anybody’s guess, but some estimates suggest it would be about 5 per cent for the entire year and about 45