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Migrant labourers not in welfare net
- The language barrier, socio-cultural differences, and lack of identity cards restrict lakhs of migrant workers in Kerala from accessing public services and taking advantage of government welfare schemes
- There are close to a million migrant workers in Kerala, arriving mostly from Assam, Bihar, West Bengal, and Orissa.
- For instance, migrant labourers from States like Bihar, Orissa, West Bengal or Assam who have been availing themselves of rice or wheat and other provisions at subsidised prices through the public distribution system (PDS) in their home States are unlikely to benefit from the PDS in Kerala.
- The migration of labour from the north-eastern States to Kerala is akin to international migration.
- The Inter-State Migrant Workers Welfare Scheme, launched by the State government last year, has not made much of an impact. The enrolment with the scheme is lower than two per cent of the estimated migrant labour force.
PPP model in power distribution opposed
- Power distribution utilities of three States (Maharashtra, Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh) have objected to the proposed suggestions by a sub-group of the Task Force on Private Participation in the Power Sector of the Planning Commission.
- The concessionaire selected by competitive bidding would be responsible for maintenance, operation and upgrading of the distribution network.
- The Task Force was formed on November 9, 2010 under B.K. Chaturvedi, member, Planning Commission, which in turn formed two sub-groups to examine and evolve the framework for the franchisee and PPP models.
- The sub-group felt neither the privatisation model as in Delhi nor the franchisee model would deliver the desired outcomes and pitched for a well formulated PPP which would be consistent with the Electricity Act.
- In Delhi, despite 10 years of reform, the mandatory provisions of open access have not been operationalised and the average power purchase cost has increased 49 per cent in the last two years
- In Maharashtra (pioneered the franchisee model) after a franchisee was appointed to recover the outstanding amounts from consumers — many of them illegally tapping power. However, the franchisee was handling the operation and maintenance (O&M) obligations of distribution companies, the model did not address significant issues such as the need for capital investments, ensuring quantity and quality of supply, financial sustainability, competition and open access.
- In the PPP model proposed, the operator would seek and secure periodic tariff increase and this would lead to different tariffs for different areas within a State.
