Clamour for electricity-coal and its reality
RK Sinha
At present, an atmosphere of shortage of coal and electricity is being created. The main intention behind all these conspiracies is to make people stand against the Modi Government of the Centre. This is incidentally instigated by the maximum coal reserve states like Jharkhand, Chattisgarh, West Bengal and Odisha. All these states have non-BJP governments. Let’s make a note of it before moving forward. States giving election freebies like electricity are mostly being ruled by non BJP governments. Has the electricity consumption in summer increased this year only or is a general trend or there an electricity shortage this year only?? Definitely not. Power cuts in Delhi are nominal. But CM of Delhi, Arvind Kejriwal is politicizing the entire issue. He is making an issue about the coal shortage and making people frightened. Now he has started a new game out of it. Kejriwal stated that Delhi cabinet has decided that from 1st October 2022, subsidy on electricity will be optional means people will have an option to give up the subsidy. Why would anyone opt for it? On the matter of the announcement of free travel for women in DTC buses, he said in a similar manner that women willing to purchase tickets may do so. Ask any of the female travellers of DTC buses if they buy tickets? She will reply in negative.
The power crisis in Maharashtra is deepening. The path of development of India passes through Maharashtra. This kind of situation is really unfortunate. Central Electricity producing companies has lakhs of crores of dues on states like Maharashtra, Rajasthan, Delhi and Punjab etc. Maharashtra government has even lost the case in Supreme Court and has to pay the dues at any cost. Still states are consuming the electricity and denying payment. It is known to all that electricity producing companies (Genco) have a heavy dues of 7918 crore on many states specially Maharashtra, Rajasthan and West Bengal, and are facing coal supply shortage. Just see the shamelessness of these states where they are complaining about coal supply but not saying anything. On their payment due to GENCO. Why are they not clearing the dues of Genco? At many occasions they have sold the electricity purchased from Genco at double the cost to the consumers of their state and have recovered most of the bills also. Then how will the situation be improved? From where will Genco get the required capital to operate?
The conspiracy regarding the coal supply shortage was known many months back, you may not believe it but it is also a part of a preplanned toolkit, to create an atmosphere against the Modi government.
When they haven’t succeeded in all these manoeuvres, they started new agendas to incite riots and to allege the central government for shortage of basic necessities. Incitement of riots will lead certain sections of voters to distance themselves from BJP, as the nature of voter and new voters will be disappointed to come with BJP due to such propagandas. Now let’s talk about Punjab, the announcement of CM Bhagwant Man to give 300 units of free electricity every month to every household will add an additional cost of 2000 crore in state government power subsidy. After his announcement, the bill is expected to surge to 6000 crore rupees. Debt-ridden Punjab State Power Corporation Limited (PSPCL) will have to pay heavily in order to buy imported coal to run their thermal plant as the central power ministry has advised Punjab and other states to purchase imported coal. Despite all these, the Punjab government is not thinking while giving freebies. Indeed, their single point agenda is to allege the Modi government somehow and misguide voters. Punjab and Maharashtra governments should understand that the world has changed now. World has become aware. People are understanding the states who are responsibly running their government and also such state government who are running on false allegation and propaganda.
Now let’s come to coal again. It is a universal fact that the consumption of power in summers increases considerably and in this scenario power supply shortage and power cut are neither big nor a new issue. Upto few years back we have seen hours of power cuts in Delhi. Power cut problem began to improve in the times of Atal Bihari government at the centre and Sheila Dixit government in Delhi. Amidst all these power crises the derailment of 13 coaches of Freight trains loaded with coal is really a matter of concern. It happened on last 30 th April. Happened in Etawah district on one of the busiest lines of the Delhi-Howrah rail route. Railway will have to thoroughly investigate the matter of how a goods wagon could get derailed on a dedicated freight route. This kind of incident is new for this route. Because of this incident all the coal transported in the rail wagon got scattered on the rail line and lines were broken down. This kind of incident on dedicated freight routes has not been heard of in the recent past. Pay attention, with the surge in power consumption and shortage of coal, railways have cancelled 670 passenger trains for one month. Along with it the average number of Coal loaded Goods wagons has been increased. Then this rail accident is pointing towards a bigger controversy.
Central government must be taking positive steps. But, critics will continue to criticise.
(Writer is senior editor, columnist and former MP)