Lok Sabha Question No. 4089 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2019-12-12
Subject: One Nation One Grid
Ministry: POWER
Asked by: Vijay Kumar

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF POWER

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO.4089 TO BE ANSWERED ON 12.12.2019

## ONE NATION ONE GRID

†4089. SHRI VIJAY KUMAR:

Will the Minister of POWER be pleased to state:

(a) the  constraints  faced  by  the  Government  in  the  implementation  of  'One Nation One Grid' scheme;

(b) the steps taken by the Government to overcome the said constraints;

(c) whether the Government is contemplating for uniform electricity tariff plan for all sectors of power in the country and if so, the details thereof;

(d) whether the Government proposes to take into account the requirements and capacity of Economically Weaker Section(EWS) in paying the electricity bill easily, if so, the details thereof; and

(e) whether  the  Government  also  proposes  to  pay  special  attention  to  the States  like  Bihar  where  per  capita  electricity  consumption  is  far  less  than  the national average and if so, the details thereof?

## A N S W E R

THE  MINISTER  OF  STATE  (INDEPENDENT  CHARGE)  FOR  POWER,  NEW  & RENEWABLE ENERGY AND THE MINISTER OF STATE FOR SKILL DEVELOPMENT & ENTREPRENEURSHIP

( SHRI  R.K. SINGH)

(a) & (b) :     Sir, no constraints are faced in the implementation of 'One Nation One Grid' Scheme. In fact, 'One Nation One Grid' has already been achieved by integrating  the  five  electricity  regional  grids  into  one  interconnected  and synchronous National electricity grid. The capacity of inter-regional transmission on 30.11.2019.

……….2.

(c) : Electricity is a concurrent subject. As per provision of the Electricity Act, 2003, the responsibility for fixing retail supply tariff of electricity falls under the  purview  of  respective  State  Electricity  Regulatory  Commissions.  Retail Supply tariff of electricity depends upon various factors like power purchase cost and  other operational and  financial  parameters  of  Distribution  Companies (DISCOMs)  and  it  varies  across  the  DISCOMs  throughout  the  country.    Hence, there is no plan of the Government for having uniform electricity tariff plan for all sectors of power in country.

(d) : As per the provisions of the Electricity Act, 2003, the State Electricity  Regulatory  Commissions while determining the tariffs are guided by the  Tariff  Policy.  Tariff  Policy,  2016  provides  that  the  State  Government  can provide subsidy to the extent they can consider appropriate as per provision of section 65 of the Act by adopting the following broad principles:

- (i) Consumers below poverty line who consume below a specified level, as prescribed  in  the  National  Electricity  Policy  may  receive  a  special support  through  cross  subsidy.  Tariffs  for  such  designated  group  of consumers will be at least 50% of the average cost of supply.
- (ii) For achieving the objective that the tariff progressively reflects the cost of  supply  of  electricity,  the  Appropriate  Commission  would  notify  a roadmap such that tariffs are brought within ±20% of the average cost of supply. The roadmap would also have intermediate milestones, based on the approach of a gradual reduction in cross subsidy.

(e)  :              Government  of  India  is  extending  financial  assistance  to  all  States including  Bihar  through  their  various  Centrally  Sponsored  Schemes  like  Deen Dayal Upadhyaya Gram Jyoti Yojana (DDUGJY), Integrated Power Development Scheme (IPDS) and Pradhan Mantri Sahaj Bijli Har Ghar Yojana -Saubhagya for upgradation and augmentation of the electricity distribution  infrastructure  and for providing universal electricity access to all villages and households so that the concerned State Government/DISCOMs can provide reliable and quality 24x7 power  to  their  consumers,  which  inter-alia  would  enhance  the  per-capita consumption.

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