Urban power reforms: Slow start, steady pace but looming deadline

First part of the series discusses the financial support to urban power reforms, performance of states and the roadblocks

Urban power reforms, which aim at improving the quality of electricity supply and have the highest contribution in bettering the finances of state power utilities, are slowly picking up pace. 

Marred by a slow start, financial turmoil in power distribution companies (discoms) and the long-drawn process in starting execution, the Integrated Power Development Scheme (IPDS) is pushing states to innovate but within a tight deadline.

The three major reform plans under the IPDS —system strengthening, information technology (IT) enablement and smart metering — have been sanctioned Rs 293.6 billion for four years, to be borne by the Centre, discoms and