Capacity Building on Electricity Reforms in Bangladesh, India and Nepal (RESA)

1. Capacity Building on Electricity Reforms in Bangladesh, India and Nepal (RESA) Key Findings from India Capacity Building, Advocacy, Research & Networking Keya Ghosh, CUTS International Regional Conference, 9th & 10th April, 2010, Kolkata

2. Presentation Outline • About RESA • Key Findings • Impact and Outcome • Proposed Way Forward for the Indian Power Sector from RESA Learning • Way Forward for RESA

3. About RESA • Activities concluded: Project launch meeting & training programme, local inception workshop , Consumer base line survey, Reference group meetings, Territorial trainings, Grassroots interface meetings, Mid term review meeting, Advocacy seminar (India, Bangladesh and Nepal) • Project Outputs: Territorial base paper, Territorial training manual, Vernacular handouts, E- newsletters, Poster, Policy briefs and Articles • Highlights: GIM: 111 GIMs, Consumers reached - 5100 (Rajasthan & West Bengal) and produced a video documentary – ‘Powered to Grow’ • Effective participation of consumers, people’s representative, media and utility officials in project activities. • RESA Initiative – ‘Bottom Up Approach’

4. Key Findings

5. Capacities of Consumers and Civil Society Organisations (before RESA) Absolute lack of awarenessabout Power Sector Reform Electricity Act 2003 Complain Redressal Mechanism Electricity Regulatory Commissions About provisions and regulations for consumer participation Their rights and responsibilities No experience of participation in regulatory process Therefore the Indian Regulatory Process is characterized by poor consumer participation. Findings….

6. And why this lack of capacity? • Lack of Capacity or Awareness building programmes by Utilities or Electricity Regulatory Commissions of these two states. • Lack of effective and innovative communication channels for communication with Consumers and Community • Existing formats of Public Consultations --how effective and how popular? • What does the Electricity Act 2003 provide? Provisions exist in the Act but not mandatory.

7. Findings… Capacity of Utilities: • Grassroots Utility staff lack knowledge of regulations, capacity and skill to deliver consumer satisfaction. • Lack of IT & ITES applications and training in service delivery further enhance inefficiency. Media: • Role of media as a watch dog for the power sector has been overall satisfactory but it has not aptly highlighted regulatory & consumer participation issues. • Capacity of media at local levels need improvement.

8. OtherFindings….. • Complicated Consumer Grievance Redressal System • CGRS not easy to access for grassroots consumers. • Power shortage, low qualityof power and lack of access to electricity still plague many rural areas. • High cost of infrastructure payable by the consumer, hampers legitimate access to electricity; promotes theft. • Choice of service providers not available to consumers of electricity. • Lack of ownership of system by the community. • Unscheduled Power cuts faced by consumers across project territories. • Corruption and middlemen abound in the system leading to consumer harassment

9. Impact & Outcome

10. On Consumers • The Grassroots Interface Meetings (GIMs) were a phenomenal success. • GIMs (111) reached out and sensitised close to 5100 consumers. • Recorded & registered their problems, their needs and challenges and subsequently came up with possible solutions. • Post GIMs, consumer initiative.

11. On Civil Society and Utility On Civil Society Organisations • A strong network of capacitated grassroots civil society organisations (about 40 ) across Rajasthan and West Bengal • Has extended and strengthened the network from Local to Regional Level. • Created 40 grassroots trainers equipped to undertake advocacy on Electricity On Utilities: • GIMs provided an effective platform for two-way communication between the utilities and consumers----- • helped authorities understand the ground realities and problems faced by consumers; • helped consumers to understand various limitations/problems of the utilities • Utility companies in both the territories actively supported the project. • Helped to initiate constructive dialogue on partnering consumer groups towards better consumer services, transparency and awareness building.

12. On Regulators, Policy Makers and Media • Helped regulators, policymakers & decision makers get in touch with grassroots realities& issues. • Developed a network amongst policy community, regulators, civil society representatives and media to tackle the challenges jointly. • Media involved in all key activities resulting in media enthusiasm about power sector reforms and its importance.

13. Proposed Way Forward for the Indian Power Sector Proposed Way Forward for the Indian Power Sector from RESA Learning Consumers’ perspective

14. Milestones for the Next Five Years • Milestone1: Consumers of electricity should also have the option of choosing their service providers from many • Need to promote: Competition; Open access; Private investment in this sector • Milestone2: Enhanced and Effective Consumer participation in Regulatory processes • Regular Capacity building and Awareness programmes of CSOs and Consumers to be undertaken proactively by Electricity Regulatory Commissions. • ERCs to develop effective and innovative communication channels for communication with Consumers and Community • Improve on the existing formats of Public Consultations

15. Milestones for the Next Five Years • Milestone 3: Simplification of the Grievance Redressal Mechanism • Milestone 4: Extension of GRM upto Local Supply Offices to bring it within reach of Grassroots Consumers • Necessary to :Do away with corruption in the system by removing the . scope for middlemen • Can be achieved through: Change in policy and regulations; Improved and transparent service delivery mechanisms at all levels of utilities. • Milestone 5: To find sustainable policy solutions to rationalise agricultural tariff to do away with inefficient use of electricity. • Milestone 6 :Undertake more Research Renewable Energy solutions; Improve Energy efficiency; Good Regulatory Practices from across the world; How to improve service delivery mechanism and Howto harness Consumer power in improving the performance of this sector.

16. Way Forward for RESA • Replication of the RESA initiative in others states & countries. • Increased reach out to cover greater number of consumers and civil society organisations in the same territories • Strengthen, sustain and further the networks developed from grassroots level to Regional level to promote regional co-operation on power issues • Replication of the RESA model for other sectors.

17. Thank You Dr. Keya Ghosh kg@cuts.orgwww.cuts-international.org

18. The RESA Experience Education positively influences consumers’ ability to demand for services

19. The RESA Experience Very few people are aware about the reform process.

20. Initiative taken by Consumers post GIMs

21. Change in Consumer Perception after attending GIMs