Srikrishna Committee Report : Power No basic imbalances

In the power sector, the Srikrishna Committee sees more or less an equitable growth between the areas of Andhra, Rayalaseema and Telangana. It has come to this conclusion after taking technical help from VB Gupta, ex-Chief Engineer, Central Electricity Authority, New Delhi. However, the report made a few suggestions on employment, location of power generating units where inputs are available and setting up of training bodies. In any case, it feels there is no major cause for complaints by Telangana concerning power generation, distribution and provision of jobs.

In 1955-56 at the time of formation of Andhra Pradesh, the number of villages with power connectivity in Telangana, Andhra and Rayalaseema was 11, 398 and 147 respectively. Later all the villages in all the three regions were electrified, an achievement by any yardstick. As far as the power generation capacity was concerned, it was 5242.46 MW in Andhra, 1840.14 MW in Seema and 4368 MW in Telangana. The installed capacity between Andhra and Telangana was considered to be comparable. The committee feels that, other than generation the transmission and distribution systems are also equally strong in all the three areas.

Referring to the grievance of Telangana people that the presence of Singareni coal mines in Telangana should have warranted building of more generation plants in the region instead of carrying it all the way to Andhra, Justice Srikrishna team pointed out that locating power plants at pit-heads also depends on “objective assessment of cost/benefits”.
It is the CEA that examines various aspects of the subject and clears a project. Thus it cannot be said that there is any bias in taking decisions. The report asserts that the APSEB and APGenco have been “impartial in selecting” the power project sites.

Yet, in concluding paragraphs, the report suggests that in future “Higher priority may be considered for setting up more thermal power plants in Telangana because of proximity of “ Singareni Collieries there, despite the fact that there has been no partiality shown in the past.

Tracing the making of power available to all three regions, the committee noted that, the number of low tension consumers in Telangana increased from 4.19 lakhs in 1971-72 to as many as 85.62 lakhs by 2008-09. During the comparable period it was 5.30 lakhs to 85.31 lakhs in Andhra and from 2.91 lakhs to 35.76 lakhs in Rayalaseema. Thus the increase was the highest in Telangana. Similar was the situation in respect of HT consumers. The figures related to the period 2001-02 to 2008-09 show: Telangana 3576.13 kwh to 9251.50 kwh; Andhra 2120.59 to 5831.05; Rayalaseema 882.19 to 2445.34 kwh. The higher increase in case of Telangana compared to Andhra was because of enhanced industrial growth there. The report comments that if the same kind of increase continues in Telangana that will help more and more industrialization.

The committee has noted that power consumption in Telangana is higher because of agricultural needs. Since Andhra is endowed with irrigation canals in large areas and that facility is not available in Telangana, demand is more for power to operate bore wells. A look at the number of such wells substantiates this contention. They are as follows: Telangana: Bore wells 15,67,000 (irrigated area 31,00,000 acres, power consumption 10,100 MUs); Andhra + Rayalaseema: Bore wells 11,14,000 (irrigated area 22,00,000 acres, power consumption 7,100 MUs). This is the reason why power subsidy is also much higher in Telangana.As regards employment, the committee says it is comparable between all the three regions and there has been no discrimination at all.

For instance as on July 31, 2010, the Genco had 4,283 staff from Andhra, 4,224 from Telangana and 1,759 from Seema, due to low population. In contrast to this the employees from Telangana are higher in Transco. As per the committee, jobs are available to candidates from all the three regions subject to zonal rules. Notwithstanding that construction workers are preferably employed in local areas. Since unemployment is the main consideration of particularly Telangana and Seema people, if the existing administrative and legal mechanism and provisions are not adequate to ensure fairness in filling vacancies in those two regions, it can be addressed by appropriate administrative measures, the report suggests.

As it was mentioned above, the committee has advised the government to accord higher priority to locating more thermal power plants in Telangana considering the availability of Singareni coal. And the region suffered in appointment of people to higher cadres earlier but with the introduction of zonal system later the position should be corrected in the next few years, the report felt. It also suggested institutes for training of employees in Telangana and Rayalaseema areas in addition to the present lone one in Vijayawada.

Next: Employment

Bifurcation: The wider issues
Carving of Telangana out of Andhra Pradesh State continues to hang fire when almost everyone thought that the UPA Coordination Committee and the Congress Working Committee had taken a final position. However, the decision has thrown up several questions, with Seemandhra parties up in arms. The issues of Hyderabad city, water resources, power, educational and employment opportunities have become bones of contention between the two regions.

In view of the current developments, let’s take a look once again at the report of Justice Srikrishna Committee that was set up in 2010 to study the Telangana issue. Without going into the recommendations made by it, as there was no definitiveness about them except offering various options, The Hans India will be running relevant excerpts from the report, topic wise.

The idea in publishing them is to initiate a debate in these columns from various sections of people from all the three regions of the State. Readers are welcome to send in their views which will be published in due course. They should be written in English and to the point. Please mention the complete address and phone number. Also attach a passport size photograph and mail to letters@thehansindia.in