SEQUENCING OF POWER REFORMS – KEY TO SUCCESS: SURESH PRABHU
The Minister of Power,
Shri Suresh Prabhu said here today that the sequencing of reforms
in the power sector was the key to bringing about a turnaround.
Shri Prabhu was speaking while inaugurating the India Energy Meet
on Technologies-Trading-Training organised by the India Energy
Forum. The Minister referred to the telecom model and said the
telecom revolution in India today has taken place because the
system was first cleaned up through proper application of technology
and through proper sequencing of reforms. The Power Minister said
before competition is introduced in the power sector, its functioning
has to be put in order and technology would play a key role in
this. The Minister said that he has already created a group in
his Ministry on technology. Upgradation of power generation technology
needs to be focused on, he said. This would include clean coal
technologies as India will have to use coal as a source for power
generation for a long time to come.
Shri Prabhu stressed
that new and better technologies are needed badly in the distribution
sub sector to prevent thefts. The Minister said one of his immediate
steps as Power Minister was to identify the objectives of power
reforms. These are elimination of thefts, improvement in quality
of power, reduction in power tariff and increase in power generation.
Shri Prabhu said all state governments are being impressed upon
to step up reforms and to improve governance in the power sector.
The India Energy
Meet was also addressed by the Secretary Power, Shri R.V.Shahi,
the Ambassador of the Federal Republic of Germany, His Excellency
Mr.Heimo Richter, Shri P.S.Bami President, India Energy Forum,
Ms.Edith Marx, Director Energy Programmes Carl Duisberg Gersselschaft
E.V (CDG).