Chennai: In a relief to various categories of power consumers seeking new services or conversion of existing services for construction purposes, the state govt has simplified the process, clearing bottlenecks in the system and making field officers accountable for lapses, if any. Also, the name transfer procedure has been made more transparent and time-bound. Though Tamil Nadu Electricity Supply Code had set deadlines with elaborate procedures to provide a new service, tariff conversion, shifting of meters when a construction is completed, it mostly remains on paper and procedural bottlenecks are often cited as excuses.The screening committee and empowered committee constituted under the SimpleGov initiative held meetings with stakeholders and identified issues such as manual closure of tariff conversion process, mandatory submission of completion certificate, unclear guidelines on metering point, lack of online facility for meter shifting or load enhancement.The state govt issued two GOs in this regard in Feb, but the TNPDCL and the TNERC are yet to initiate steps to implement the orders. Officials said trials are underway with respect to GIS tagging of meters, decentralisation of powers from AE to foreman and commercial inspector.“GIS mapping of meters is completed. No new service can be provided without GIS mapping. Other works are under different stages of execution,” said the official.In another GO, the state govt proposed the transfer of electricity service to another person through a complete online procedure. Instead of uploading the manually filled application online, TNPDCL website should have the facility to directly apply online for name transfer and further processes too have been made online.Welcoming both the GOs, retired discom officer and activist Neelakanta Pillai said the law is already clear and pro-consumer, but it is not effectively implemented. The new initiative should effectively negate the loopholes often abused by officials. There have been several instances of local TNPDCL officials insisting on conversion of power supply even for a small extension of the existing building, but the new system will not allow it,” he said.
