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In a village in Bihar, irrigation being carried out using diesel pump dur to lack of electricity |
In India, electricity not only plays a
vital role in development (like all other countries) (electricity access
classified as basic amenity in Human Development Report 2001) but also in
politics (unique characteristic). Electrification efforts in India started soon
after the independence recognising its role in development. However, there has
been a tussle between development and politics for claiming credit to
electrification. This may have resulted in the constantly changing (some may say
evolving) definitions of rural electrification in India. The result has also
been changing focus of electrification. With development as its target,
electrification first focused on rural industries. This was probably to develop
the rural economy and create jobs in the sector. It must be remembered that as
per census of India 2001, about 70% of India’s population lived in rural areas.
This figure would have been bigger post independence. Hence, focus on rural
industries and job creation would not only have fulfilled the development goals
but also kept the rural voters happy.
Later, during 1960s, with the emergence of
Green Revolution and introduction of high yielding varieties of crops, the
focus of electrification was shifted to agriculture. Energising irrigation
pumps became a priority for the government. With focus on agriculture, politics
started playing out in the fields and electricity started turning political
around late 1970s. Focus on irrigation fulfilled twin political motives of strengthening food
security and increasing farmer incomes. As a result of this, farmers could be
organised into groups with focused voting for any one party. Electricity subsidy as a political tool was first used
during 1977 elections in the southern Indian state of Andhra Pradesh. The
promise of flat-rate tariff during elections helped the Congress government to
get re-elected. This in other ways was replicated in the neighbouring state of
Tamil Nadu, where government started offering free electricity to several
groups of farmers. Subsequently, this strong political device was realised and
implemented in other states like Karnataka, Maharashtra, Punjab, Haryana etc.
All these states offer ‘low tariff’ or ‘no tariff’ for electricity. This political move can be credited for:
- Instilling bad accountability
and management culture in the electricity sector
- Availability of low quality
power to consumers
- Accelerated ground water
depletion
Recently, change in electrification definition
by Government of India in 2004 seems to have brought goals of inclusive
development back to the table. The new definition of rural electrification
presented on Rajeev Gandhi Grameen Vidyutikaran Yojna (RGGVY) website, is as
follows.
A village would be declared as electrified, if :
- Basic infrastructure such as
Distribution Transformer and Distribution lines are provided in the
inhabited locality as well as the Dalit Basti hamlet where it
exists.
- Electricity is provided to
public places like Schools, Panchayat Office, Health Centers,
Dispensaries, Community centers etc.
- The number of households electrified should be at least 10% of the total number of households in the village.
This definition seeks include the poorest
of the poor (dalits) in electrification coverage and also focuses on
household electrification. However, the focus seems to have shifted from
agriculture. The Bihar (a northern state of India) chief minster recently
pointed this out that under RGGVY scheme low capacity transformers (16 and 25
kVA) and single-phase connections are installed in villages, which cannot be
used for pumping irrigation water (8th March 2011 article in
Patna edition of ToI). This raises questions of development, considering as per
the 2001 census about 57% of the main workforce of the country is involved in
agriculture and allied activities. Dubas and Rajan also point out in the
special focus on the backward sections of the society may also be as a result
of the growing political power of the backward rural communities. Also, growing
political power of backward rural communities may be credited for the special
focus of electrification on backward sections of society. Political changes have also been credited for abundaning of the predecessor scheme
of RGGVY.
Much is still left to discuss about this
nexus between electricity and politics. However, I will keep this for
subsequent post and end by saying that this nexus between electrification and
politics has had serious impacts not only on the sector, electrification
efforts but also the environment (water table). Decoupling them may not be the
ideal solution rather balancing them carefully may help.
You raise some very valid concerns about marriage between electricity and politics. In India, perhaps very little in the development field has been left 'unpoliticised' and whether it is the National Rural Health Mission, Midday Meal Scheme or Tribal Forest Rights.
ReplyDeleteThanks for sharing this, I'm planning on following you on your journey :)
thanks a lot Chandni. I agree completely, very little in development field (for that matter, in any field) has been left un politicised in India. This is just a snapshot.
DeleteWell, come to think of it, its not just India. Politics at international level plays its part in beginning/ end of grants at world bank, ADB and others.