Revive SERC

Jammu and Kashmir State Electricity Regulatory Commzission (SERC) was established by way of Act of the State Legislature in the year 2000 for rationalization of electricity tariff, transparent policies regarding subsidies, promotion of efficient and environmentally benign policies and matters. The primary objectives of the SERC are to determine the tariff for electricity, wholesale, bulk, grid or retail; determine the tariff payable for use of the transmission facilities, regulate power purchase and procurement process of the transmission utilities and distribution utilities including the price at which the power shall be procured from the generating companies, generating stations or from other sources for transmission, sale, distribution and supply in the State. This indicates that the Commission is armed with many sensitive and important powers and functions and as such its functionality has to be regular and effective. But the ground reality is that two members of the Commission completed their form two years back and Chairperson demitted office after completion of his term in December 2016. The question is when the Commission is lying defunct who is going to decide urgent matters especially the rationalization of electricity tariff. According to the Act through which the Commission came into being, the Government is required to make nomination for the Members or the Chairperson at least six months ahead of their superannuation or demitting of the office. In the present case, the Government has failed to observe this section of the Act. The selection of the new Members/ Chairperson is to be made by a Select Committee headed by the Minister holding the charge of power besides other members.  The Commission is  completely defunct for last four months and the conducting of a meeting by the Selection Committee remains deferred indefinitely. All this policy of benign negligence and irresponsibility ultimately brings discomfort to the consumers, industrialists and other sections of society. The Selection Committee, according to the Act comprises Minister for Power; Principal Secretary to Government, Power Development Department and Member Central Electricity Regulatory Commission. The committee is required to recommend names for the posts of Chairperson and Members of SERC within one month from the date on which the reference is made to it. So far even the reference has not been made to the Committee leave aside drawing a panel and discussing the issue. Now all that is to be seen are the repercussions of Government’s abject disinterest and inefficiency in discharging certain prioritized duties. This cannot pass for good governance to say the least.  It is difficult to predict whether endemic disorder in PDD will ever be set right.

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