Monday, April 6, 2015

Public Awareness Campaign on Electricity



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.

Pradip Pradhan, M-9937843482

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