The theft of electricity is endemic to the entire country and Government of India had in the year 2001 initiated a programme APDP, which was later designated as APRDP (Accelerated Power Reform Development Programme) and still later as SRDP. The main thrust of the programme was to minimize the AT& C losses to an acceptable level of 15 per cent from 60 per cent and an annual reduction rate of nine per cent per anum was the target.

The programme envisages two thrust areas: laying down efficient conduction wires and hundred per cent metering at various gateways so that every unit of electricity is accounted for. This programme also emphasizes a strict energy accounting and auditing regime .The programme was to have concluded in the year 2008 and the target was the reduction AT&C losses to 15 per cent. Though some states like Andhra Pradesh, Goa, and Maharashtra etc have almost achieved the target of nine per cent per anum reduction of AT&C losses Bihar’s performance rarely comes in for complimentary reference. Most of the times even the relevant

On other occasions different figures appear to have been provided to different agencies. The Bihar State Electricity Regulatory Commission (BSERC) and the Parliamentary Committee on Power have made adverse observations on this count. The BSEB gave out

its AT&C losses at 42.61 per cent in the year 2007-08 while the power ministry put the loss at 70 per cent. (30th Report of the Parliamentary Committee.)

The CAG report for 2008- 09 says that the target of 38 per cent has not been achieved. The figures of the Board are rarely accurate. Informed sources put the loss at 50 per cent where as the national average is 30 per cent.

Other states have not been exactly models of efficiency but even in the company of the laggards Bihar comes at the bottom. The implementation of the APR&DP programmes is another sad tale of cultivated inefficiency to pursue the peacefully profitable activity of loot and dumping in under the euphemistic heading of AT&C losses.

The figure quoted below would give a basic idea of how the Board is run; how much is the average tax payer financing the service. Beggars can not be choosers. So before we berate the Centre would not it be a good idea to cut down the losses to the acceptable level which we should have done three years back. No prizes for guessing that the losses would step up the demand by that much. Let us say if we are getting 700 megawatt then we are in a position to supply only 460 megawatt to the consumers, taking the AT & C losses at 40 per cent which is really a very modest figure. It is 25 per cent higher than the accepted maximum AT & C loss mean 175 megawatts of precious energy of this meager allotment goes to line the pocket of electricity thieves, their friends in the BSEB and their patrons in the bureaucracy and politics. What do we have to say that out of an installed capacity of 540 megawatt we produce between 6o to 110 megawatts .Must we blame the central government for it?

The augmentation of installed power capacity from 1,362 MW in 1947 to 144,564 May08
The power generation capacity has made considerable progress from an installed capacity of 1362 MW in 1947 it has increased up to 144,564 MW in May 2008, but even this is far below the target set in various five year plans. Therefore the central allocation of power rarely satisfies various states because the central government can only distribute the scarcity. But it is possible to buy electricity through inter-state Open access on advance reservation basis, on current reservation basis, one day ahead basis and even on real-time basis. Between point on injection and point of drawl Bihar has achieved a burgeoning growth rate of 11 to 16 per cent for successive years, we are touting ourselves as the model for growth with equity for the rest of the country does it behove us to let out people commit loot and arson for electricity while we await the charity of the Government of India. The 30th Parliamentary Report notes that till date Bihar has not availed of this open access ever.

The coal crisis had been predicted long time back and the Hydel power generation is likely to dry up during summer months. The situation is not likely to improve in a hurry. So we would be well advised to 1) Maximize generation from our own plants 2) go about in a clinical manner reducing the AT & C losses 3) loosen our purse strings to avail ourselves of the power available through inter State open access power trading arrangement for essential services. A state cannot afford to flaunt its new found Pride and Prosperity and be shown to be a supplicant on Centre’s charity for every thing.

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