Most of the government institutions in the country have become white elephants, causing annual loss to the tune of billions of rupees to the national exchequer. In others, the government officials have been given a free hand to fleece the people at their will and the Water and Power Authority is not an exception. Industry needs electricity, but per unit electricity is not only expensive, but the meters are also set at 45 percent faster than the normal speed to overcharge consumers. Many industrial units are fighting the war of their survival, but the Wapda staff also givesits share of troubles to put the owners of the industrial units under pressure. The most pathetic situation is that small business entrepreneurs have to settle their issues with the Wapda officials at the local level fearing that the litigation will invite more troubles for them. The National Electric Power Regulatory Authority has now decided to approve refund of Rs 1.98 per unit to the consumers for November 2015 overcharged by the distribution companies under monthly fuel adjustment mechanism.
The Central Power Purchasing Agency which purchases electricity from different sources and sells it to Discos has also the regulator to adjust the bills. However, reduction in tariff will not apply to the domestic consumers using below 300 units per month and K-Electric consumers. The fuel cost of electricity was Rs 5.32 per unit in November 2015 against a reference price of Rs 7.30 per unit.Subsequently, Rs 1.98 per unit will be reimbursed to the consumers.As the country’s industry is expanding at a fast rate, it needs more electricity. But the given the current situation, the cherished goal of development will be hard to achieve. The government has practically shelved Kalabagh Dam project as the weak political government cannot afford controversies, but it has to look for other options to generate electricity.
It is unfortunate that when the world is heading toward economic development, we are embroiled in petty issues. The first priority of the government should be to make available cheap electricity in the country not only to run the wheel of industry but also lower the cost of production. It is height of incapability of the government that it could not even managedthe line losses in which millions of electricity units are wasted away every year. Even the Ministry of Water and Power could not figure out the volume of electricity it produces in a month and revenue collected against it. All the corruption is put under the head of line losses.
Building a Southwest Pacific regional organization
Life is about not knowing, having to change, taking the moment and making the best of it, without knowing what's...