Indian Power Sector – An Overview of the Lacunaes

India is still struggling to achieve every security. Gaps between demand and energy supplies widen as the nation strives for economic development. And all this despite the fact power reforms have been in swing since 1991. The faults are more systemic than policy oriented. Government and the Planning commission together have unveiled plans that will build a fool proof energy security for the nation. The bottlenecks are more the effect of state control and inability of the system to cope with the free market economy. The generation sector is struggling for survival. The transmission and distribution sector yet to come out of the dark tunnel. A power hungry India is daunted by a crippling energy crisis. At the core the problem is that power is a state subject and the center can do nothing except preach and manage its own central sector. Free power to appease farm lobby paralyses the functioning of the State electricity boards - many states have still not implemented the base minimum fare of agriculture sector as enunciated by a dozen power ministers‘ conferences.