Govt soon to draft legislation to monitor financial health of Discoms

06 Dec 2012 Evaluate

In a move to improve the financial health of power distribution companies (Discoms), the Power Ministry is working on the State Electricity Distribution Responsibility Bill that would prescribe guidelines to make states responsible for introducing new power sector reforms.

Power Secretary P Uma Shankar while addressing an industry seminar organized by ASSOCHAM said, the proposed Bill is part of the distribution utilities’ restructuring package, which the government has floated for re-structuring the sick distributing power companies to improve their financial health and would be sent to the states for enactment. By adding further he said to mandate compliance of the provisions of the financial restructuring package the States would enact the legislation within 12 months from the date of circulation of model legislation.

On the mandatory conditions of the package, Shankar said 50% of the short term outstanding liabilities up to March 31, 2012 would be taken over by the state governments, which will be first converted into bonds to be issued by distributing companies to participating lenders, duly backed by the state government's guarantee. The scheme will be effective as soon as notified and will remain open up to December 31, 2012 unless extended by the government. The state governments will also take over the liability from power distributing companies in the next 2-5 years by way of special securities and repayment and interest payment.

By adding further, he expressed his views on widening gap between demand and supply of domestic coal, forcing power companies to import coal. He added that, coal-based power generation capacity has increased by 52%, while domestic coal production has seen 17% growth between 2009 and 2012. 

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