UDAY Scheme

This March, discoms cleared Rs 34,150 crore worth of debt owed to power-generating companies

The latest power distribution scheme reflects old structural flaws

The sector needs urgent pricing reforms

Umbrella scheme to include grants for schemes of IPDS, DDUGJY, and have loss-reduction targets

The earlier discom reform scheme UDAY concluded in FY20 with most of the states failing to meet their stipulated targets

Discoms can borrow only up to 25% of last year's working capital, under UDAY; This has now been relaxed for a one-time lending and would help discoms that have exhausted borrowing limits

Loan requirements under Atmanirbhar scheme to help state-owned discoms crosses Rs 98,000 cr

Discoms can pose risk for state government finances

Shreya Jai compares five-year data that reveals deterioration in the health of discoms

"We have reports that malware and Trojan horse can be installed which can be activated remotely to bring down the power sector and the economy," R K Singh said

Anyone can string together alliterative words, but are they a substitute for serious thought and coherent action? Real economics involves choices, or every day would be Christmas, writes T N Ninan

PFC, REC will first issue bonds based on initial demand from states

Draft Bill aims to address the fault lines in the sector

The much-touted UDAY scheme has only managed to shift the burden to the state governments instead of reducing power theft and achieving efficiency in operations

To be named as Atal Distribution System Improvement Yojana (ADITYA), the scheme is likely to be introduced in Union Budget, since the previous Ujwal Discom Assurance Yojna (UDAY) is expiring in March

The minister said benefits under the new scheme would be disbursed if discoms stick to their trajectory for loss reduction

Targeting to cut discom losses to below 15 per cent, he said power would be sold on strong financial mechanism and the states would decide on their own subsidies

Several markets and business models are emerging and will co-exist in India.

Power sector's structural problems are revealed again

The plan is also up against supply issues with vendors reluctant to deliver to certain states due to payment concerns