Electricity Theft: Empowering People and Reforming Power Sector

Electricity Theft: Empowering People and Reforming Power Sector

By- Surinder Kumar

A comprehensive review of the technical performance of the Punjab State Electricity Board and erstwhile Haryana State Electricity Board has been conducted to identify the key factors responsible for poor technical and financial performance. It has been observed that no reforms in power sector in general and of power distribution in particular will be successful unless the problem of theft and pilferage of power is tackled. To identify the dynamics of this ailment, a survey based study, of perceptions of the consumers and the employees regarding the theft and pilferage of power shows that the evil has got highly institutionalized and has acquired a social acceptability and legitimacy among consumers as well as employees. Pilferage of power is not just a technical problem; hence simple technical solutions will not be adequate. Passing of laws by itself does not ensure their enforcement. The attitude of the people towards publicly provided goods evolved over the last five decades needs a change for which social marketing strategies need to be evolved as necessary complement to the appropriate type of restructuring of the state electricity boards.

Based on firm data and rigorous analysis, this book makes a case for suitable institutional interventions.

Surinder Kumar is Professor of Economics and Dean, Faculty of Social Sciences, Maharshi Dayanand University, Rohtak (Haryana). He was Post-Doctoral Visiting Scholar to the Center for Regulated Industries, the New Jersey State University. Newark and Energy and Environment Division, Lawrence Berkeley Laboratory, University of California, Berkeley. His special areas of interest are: Energy, Economics, Public Economics and Political Economy of Development. He has published on a wide range of issues. He is associated with a large number of professional bodies and NGOs.

ISBN  978-81-7304-530-1   2004   176p.   Rs.400/Pounds 35

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