The lightning speed at which the BJP government switched into action, distributing LED bulbs across the State, has illuminated the BJP’s desperation to get a big ticket scheme to brighten up their 2017 poll prospects.
Traversing the length and breadth of Goa, the BJP’s stalwarts, Manohar Parrikar, Laxmikant Parsekar and Shripad Naik moved around distributing three LED bulbs per family as part of the Jyotirmay Goa programme under the Ujala scheme of the Centre. No one was turned back. The Defence Minister, realising that the protection of BJP’s bastion in Goa was a tad more important than supervising the military operation in Jammu and Kashmir, which saw the killing of the valley’s most wanted terrorist, the Commander of the Hizbul Mujahideen Burhan Wani, was active in South Goa for obvious reasons.
According to street side feedback, even those who queued with someone else’s Aadhar card and his neighbours electricity bill, was given LED bulbs.
The blatant politicisation of a central government scheme, with the press conference to announce this in Goa, held at the BJP party office, notwithstanding, there are some pretty large shadow areas in this light scheme. The biggest ask is the basis on which calculations of massive savings on power and power bills have been arrived at. While the figures are not being dismissed yet, the premise of these calculations is critical, so that we know that this is a subsidy scheme and not just another massive spending spree for the benefit of the LED suppliers and ‘powers that be’ in the government. This scepticism is never unwarranted in the backdrop of the goings on in the power department in particular and the government in general.
The official claims are as follows. There are 4.85 lakh power consumers in Goa. The installation of three LED bulbs by all these consumers will lead to a saving of 7.78 crore units. In rupee terms this amounts to Rs 16.59 crores. The cost of procuring these bulbs (the subsidy) is Rs 11.15 crores. The projected saving, claimed by the government is Rs 5.43 crores. These figures, right down to the smallest rupee is typical of Manohar Parrikar’s figure rattling on precise terms which gave the impression that schemes was thought through closely. So here are the specific grey areas:
n The path to arriving at a saving of 7.78 crore units needs to be clear. This is purportedly based on the total number of consumers who will be using LED bulbs. However it is impossible to assume how many of the registered consumers will actually go and get the free bulbs or buy them later
n Secondly power consumption of an entire state and subsequent power saving cannot be arrived at on the basis of this mere switch to LED bulbs, because several other appliances are used by most consumers. Remember this is a scheme for all consumers in Goa and not for those below a certain income limit.
Meanwhile there is another logic which appears to baffle and not give clarity. The Chief Minister said that the saving of 7.78 crore units will be ploughed back to industry to make available higher power loads for industry. While the thought is very noble, a layman’s genuine question would be whether 7.78 crore units (if this figure is genuine) will be enough to beef up power supply to industry. If so we need to know in simple terms, what percentage of pending power load applications will be cleared, with these saved units.
The Chief Minister must realise that questions will be asked at every step he takes and for every move he makes. Because for a change, sceptical and betrayed Goans are watching him.
