Power Minister proposes, bureaucracy disposes; Transformer Industry cries foul
Updated: Sep 11, 2015 11:30:46am
New Delhi, Sept 11 (KNN) The bureaucracy has not taken any credible step to address problems confronting the transformer industry despite clear directions from power minister Piyush Goyal.
The message that has gone to the industry is that bureaucrats not always feel compelled rather evade to act on instructions that may be issued by the minister while addressing conferences and seminars concerning Industry. Red-tapism tends to go by rulebook rather than what the minister would say on such occasions in the national interest sources said.
For example, the power minister, in a conference held by trade body ITMA in June, had specifically asked Bureau of Indian Standard, Central Power Research Institute and Electrical Research and Development Association to allow manufacturers’ representatives to be present to witness testing of equipment after ITMA president beseeched industry’s concerns in his welcome address. However, sources said, nothing has happened so far despite the fact that all parties had agreed to act on the minister’s advice.
Similarly, no action has been taken by power ministry officials to ensure implementation of Goyal’s directions on curbing import of scrap-grade CRGO steel through relevant department, or uniformity of specifications for transformers at the national level, or facilitating for registering manufacturers with BIS as per the Quality Control Order issued by the Ministry of Heavy Industry.
Specific instructions were issued to the Director General, CPRI to coordinate all aspects with concerned agencies under the power ministry so that directions could be issued for compliance by the end of June. But despite follow-up by ITMA with all the authorities -- BIS, BEE, CEA and MOP --- nothing tangible has come out even after a lapse of 3 months purely due to lack of interest or sense of duty.
Another key point that was raised by ITMA was about multiplicity of authorities for implementation of energy efficiency guidelines that transformer manufacturers have to comply with. It was suggested that BEE should not be responsible for star-rated DTs which clearly fall in the category of capital goods as 99% transformers are used by discoms/utilities and not by the domestic consumers as household appliances. Since this task has now been entrusted to BIS with the notification of the Quality Control Order, only one agency should have the mandate to ensure quality and energy efficiency of DTs (as per IS:1180 Part 1/2014).
Sources said that the impression that is gaining ground in the industry is that the bureaucracy does not always follow minister’s directions. Perhaps officials think that the instructions of the minister who frequently address conferences and seminar need to be followed only when rules and regulations are clearly laid out, sources added.
But on the other hand, ITMA is of the view that the instructions issued by the minister were in the realm of the rules and regulations for adopting higher energy efficiency standards for distribution transformers, that is, Star 4 & Star 5, for which provisions are available in the mandatory Indian Standard (IS:1180 Part 1/2014 for DTs).
Sources said it appears that it is a case of bureaucracy being hobbled by its own lethargy and moving at its own convenience in complying with the minister’s directions to resolve issues troubling the transformer industry. (KNN/NM)
The message that has gone to the industry is that bureaucrats not always feel compelled rather evade to act on instructions that may be issued by the minister while addressing conferences and seminars concerning Industry. Red-tapism tends to go by rulebook rather than what the minister would say on such occasions in the national interest sources said.
For example, the power minister, in a conference held by trade body ITMA in June, had specifically asked Bureau of Indian Standard, Central Power Research Institute and Electrical Research and Development Association to allow manufacturers’ representatives to be present to witness testing of equipment after ITMA president beseeched industry’s concerns in his welcome address. However, sources said, nothing has happened so far despite the fact that all parties had agreed to act on the minister’s advice.
Similarly, no action has been taken by power ministry officials to ensure implementation of Goyal’s directions on curbing import of scrap-grade CRGO steel through relevant department, or uniformity of specifications for transformers at the national level, or facilitating for registering manufacturers with BIS as per the Quality Control Order issued by the Ministry of Heavy Industry.
Specific instructions were issued to the Director General, CPRI to coordinate all aspects with concerned agencies under the power ministry so that directions could be issued for compliance by the end of June. But despite follow-up by ITMA with all the authorities -- BIS, BEE, CEA and MOP --- nothing tangible has come out even after a lapse of 3 months purely due to lack of interest or sense of duty.
Another key point that was raised by ITMA was about multiplicity of authorities for implementation of energy efficiency guidelines that transformer manufacturers have to comply with. It was suggested that BEE should not be responsible for star-rated DTs which clearly fall in the category of capital goods as 99% transformers are used by discoms/utilities and not by the domestic consumers as household appliances. Since this task has now been entrusted to BIS with the notification of the Quality Control Order, only one agency should have the mandate to ensure quality and energy efficiency of DTs (as per IS:1180 Part 1/2014).
Sources said that the impression that is gaining ground in the industry is that the bureaucracy does not always follow minister’s directions. Perhaps officials think that the instructions of the minister who frequently address conferences and seminar need to be followed only when rules and regulations are clearly laid out, sources added.
But on the other hand, ITMA is of the view that the instructions issued by the minister were in the realm of the rules and regulations for adopting higher energy efficiency standards for distribution transformers, that is, Star 4 & Star 5, for which provisions are available in the mandatory Indian Standard (IS:1180 Part 1/2014 for DTs).
Sources said it appears that it is a case of bureaucracy being hobbled by its own lethargy and moving at its own convenience in complying with the minister’s directions to resolve issues troubling the transformer industry. (KNN/NM)
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