2nd training seminar under third phase of the CUTS-FES Joint Programme on “Involvement of Consumers in Power Sector Reforms in Rajasthan”

  • This was the second event in a series of six such training seminars in the third phase to be jointly organised by CUTS and FES. The focus of this entire programme is on building capacities of grassroots consumer groups to enable them to advocate for their rights provided in relevant documents such as, Consumer Charter, Standards of Performances etc. This is expected to contribute towards ensuring the quality of electricity supplies and services to the rural areas.
  • The central theme of this daylong seminar was to generate awareness among the representatives of grassroot consumer groups and ‘Vidhyut Sudhar Samiti’ members about the ‘Consumer Charter’ which has been released by the Rajasthan Electricity Regulatory Commission. Consumer Charter is the document that describes various consumer rights to be followed by the distribution companies. The rationale is that once the grassroots consumer groups are well aware of their rights they could possibly ensure actual improvement in the quality of service provided to rural areas, by raising their voices in different forums.
  • The programme was well attended by 56 participants from the entire Jalore district, mainly comprising representatives of grassroot consumer organisations/groups and members of Vidhyut Sudhar Samitis, which were formulated by the joint efforts of CUTS and FES. About 35 percent were women. Shri H. D. Charan, Chairman and Managing Director, Jodhpur Vidhyut Vitaran Nigam Limited, Shri P. C. Balai, District Collector Jalore, and Shri R. C. Sharma, Deputy Secretary, Rajasthan Electricity Regulatory Commission attended the programme along with consumer advocacy expert Shri Mahendra Ojha.
  • It was a valuable and rare experience for the participants as representatives of all stakeholders including top officials from the Distribution Company, Regulatory Commission, and district administration were present to explain their position as well as to constructively discuss each others problems/limitations
  • In opening remarks, CUTS representative explained the aim, objectives and process of CUTS-FES joint programme to all the participants for their ready reference. The success achieved by the programme so far was also briefly narrated to them. The reason for specifically selecting the subject of ‘Consumer Charter’ was also explained as this would help equip them to monitor the implementation of the Charter and in turn ensure improving the quality of supplies and services in rural and semi-urban areas.
  • Deliberations started with all the participants introducing themselves as well as sharing their expectations from the seminar. Primarily, the expectations were pertained to learning more about the rights and responsibilities of the consumer, understanding regulatory procedures to ensure participation, joining hands with distribution companies in ensuring better services etc. CUTS representative summarised the consumer expectations and Shri H. D. Charan, Chairman & Managing Director of Jodhpur Vidhyut Vitaran Nigam Ltd. responded to these. He informed that hereafter all the major provisions of Consumer Charter shall be displayed outside every field office of Jodhpur Vidhyut Vitaran Nigam Limited.
  • The session lasted for more than an hour. An important piece of information that Shri Charan shared was that all registered ‘Vidhyut Sudhar Samitis’ and other consumer organisations could now approach Jodhpur Discom for many of the tasks to be performed at customer interface level. These could relate to meter reading, bill distribution, collection etc and this could be further enlarged to delegating the electricity distribution under certain feeders to these Samitis. This would not only ensure better services in rural areas but also help these Samitis and organisations to earn some monetary support that would accrue through distribution of bills.
  • This was followed by a session by Shri R. C. Sharma, Deputy Secretary, Rajasthan Electricity Regulatory Commission, on Consumer Charter. At the start of the session, he asked those participants to raise their hands who were aware of the ‘Consumer Charter.’ Apparently no one was aware of it.
  • The major discussion was on various consumer friendly provisions made in the document and how grassroots consumer organisations can make use of these provisions for ensuring better services in rural areas. The session was highly interactive and participants made many interventions on the provisions made in the document and on how they could play a role in ensuring implementation of those provisions at the ground level.
  • Post lunch session started off with the District Collector Shri P. C. Balai addressing the gathering. He pointed out that dissatisfaction of electricity consumers in the past had often created law and order problems and that such a situation could only be avoided by ensuring adequate supply of quality electricity to rural areas. He categorically mentioned that Distribution Company should issue demand notes only to those consumers it can actually provide connection to.
  • Shri Mahendra Mathur, Executive Engineer, Jodhpur Vidhyut Vitaran Nigam Ltd, Jalore explained the available provisions and procedures through which a common consumer can get his complaints redressed.
  • The last presentation of the day was on skill enhancement of grassroots activists on consumer advocacy in general and in power sector in particular. This session was also highly interactive where participants were anxious to understand the basics of organised activism vis-à-vis power sector.