Total Amount of Rs. 6 crores
sanctioned to Shri Nilamadhab Panda, Film Director, Eleeanora Images Pvt.
Ltd. for Public Awareness Campaign on Electricity in Odisha
All of you are aware about disturbing
situation in respect of supply of electricity to consumers and huge
revenue loss suffered by electricity companies in Odisha due to theft,
non-payment of energy bills etc. This situation has provided an
opportunity to Odisha Electricity Regulatory Commission (OERC) to increase the
electricity tariff on consumers and farmers in the state. Several
Consumer Forums and Political parties have opposed the decision of OERC
terming it as arbitrary and demanded its withdrawal. They have accused
the Govt. and the Electricity distribution companies being
responsible for revenue loss due to
mismanagement, corruption and mal-administration in supply and
distribution of electricity. RTI Expose has substantiated this allegation made
by the opposition political parties and Odisha Bidyut Upobhakta
Mahasangh
On 24.2.15, RTI
Application was submitted
to the Dept. of Energy, Govt. of Odisha seeking information about
details of expenditure made for awareness programme
on electricity in Odisha. The PIO, office of CESU (Central Electricity Supply Utility of Odisha)
has provided the information on 26.3.15 which is as follows.
A. A Committee on Odisha Power
Sector Media Campaign constituted by CESU, Govt.-owned
Company in its meeting held on 2.7.2013 took the
decision to give Rs. 5.85 crores to Eleeanora Images Pvt. Ltd, a
Company of Nilamadhab Panda having its official address 143A,
1st Floor, SHAHPURJAT, Near Rainbows Bakery , New Delhi- 110049 for
public Awareness Campaign on Electricity . This programme has been started from
1st August 2013. Sri Nilamabhab Panda
has already taken Rs. 3,88,50,000.00 ( 3.88 crores rupees) by Jan 2015.
B. The justification given by
Govt. to grant such huge amount to Eleeanora Images Pvt. Ltd is
that there is high loss of electricity in the
state due to the Consumers resorting to drawing power
more than their contract demand, including in power theft and
non-payment of energy bills. This proposed campaign is intended to
achieve a big shift in the consumer behaviour towards these issues. This
campaign will also create public opinion against power theft and non-payment
making them more proactive towards the utility.
C. Total amount of Rs. 5.85 crores
will be utilised for the following awareness programme.
- TV- 260 SPOTS each in 5 top popular vernacular channels of Odisha ( totalling to 1300 TV spots in all)
- Radio-1280 spots each in 2 top FM stations and All India Radio network in Odisha ( totalling to 2560 Radio Spots in 2 FM Stations in all and 8960 Radio Spots in AIR in all ).
- Print-15 insertions each in 3 leading Odia dailies and 2 national English dailies ( totalling to 75 insertions across 5 publications in all )
- Outdoor-55 hoarding and 5000 wall paintings all over the state
- PR & Media coverage –sustained through the campaign
- Events- 1000 road shows and 5000 school shows all over the state.
D.
The PIO has not provided me the document, CD or copy of campaign output
materials developed by Eleeanora Images Pvt. Ltd for public awareness on the
ground that it is not available with the CESU. So the State Govt. is not aware
about what type of material developed by this company for public awareness on
electricity. The State Govt. has been simply releasing
money without getting any document from the company as
proof of activity or monitoring the programme whether the
programme has been properly done as per agreement.
Comments
A. When the state was suffering huge revenue
loss due to various reasons, why the State granted such
huge amount to a Company for awareness campaign on
electricity just before the general election. Is there any ulterior
motive of the Minister or officers of the Dept. of Energy to sanction such
amount?
B. The awareness campaign was
designed to sensitise the people about the
issues relating theft in electricity, non-payment of the bill
by the people and to address the same. In fact this is not the issue for
which the management of electricity is suffering in the state.
Mismanagement in distribution of electricity, huge corruption, huge
pending of electricity bill on the companies, huge salary paid outside
officers engaged by electricity companies huge waiver of electricity
bill to companies to EAS and other companies etc.
C. The State Govt. should make it clear in
public about availability of parameters to monitor or assess the net result
obtained out of the programme.
D. Public scrutiny is required about whether
there is any increase in level of awareness of the people and
substantial reduction in electricity theft and increase in collection of the
bill. So far as my knowledge is concerned, there is not a single percent
increase in revenue collection and reduction in
theft in the state. The statistical information about
my claim will be shared very soon.
E. In fact, the State Govt. has neither
monitored the programme nor made any impact assessment of the
programme except arbitrarily sanctioning money to the company without obtaining
any documentary proof of the programme.
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