Hooda government to outsource power supply in Gurgaon, Panipat
Manveer Saini, TNN | Nov 29, 2011,
CHANDIGARH: After unbundling Haryana State Electricity Board (HSEB), the Haryana government has in principle decided to outsource distribution of power supply in Gurgaon and Panipat to private companies, causing unrest among officials of Dakshin Haryana Bijli Vitran Nigam (DHBVN) and Uttar Haryana Bijli Vitran Nigam (UHBVN), while evoking mixed response from end users. The process to hand over supplies and operations to franchisees shall begin within a month, sources in power department said.

Both the cities are the major contributors to the monthly revenue of the distribution companies and contrary to assertions made by the state power minister Ajay Singh that it shall enhance the revenue generation, employees and officers' union feel that the move would paralyse the distribution companies, which have already gone bankrupt.

Gurgaon, which falls under DHBVN, contributes a monthly revenue of Rs 214 crore against company's entire monthly revenue of Rs 450 crore. Similarly, Panipat generates monthly revenue of Rs 35 crore out of the total Rs 315 crore revenue generated by UHBVN as of now. "We have the plan ready and some modalities are under review but there is stiff opposition from the unions of engineers as well as junior staff. We will take any step only after taking them into consideration, while keeping in view the best interest of the state as well as consumers," Singh said.