As many as 20 companies have showed interest in the power privatisation in Chandigarh, despite employees staging protests against it. It is to be seen how many of these companies actually submit their bids.
Administrative officials say that the number of interested companies will increase as the last date of application has been fixed for February 8.
Manoj Parida, Advisor to UT Administrator, has also held pre-bid meetings with many of these companies. The administration is trying to complete the process of power privatisation within this month.
Among the 20 companies who have applied, Italy’s renowned company Enel Group is also included. According to the information, this company is trying to enter the electricity distribution sector in India from Chandigarh. Whichever company will be appointed by the administration will be responsible for power distribution and retail supply in the city. The assets of the department will be given to the company by the administration on a lease of one rupee.
Currently, there are 700 to 800 regular employees in the electricity department of Chandigarh and there is a shortage of staff. Hence, work is carried out with outsourced employees.
The request for proposal has been issued to Adani Transmission Limited, Tata Power Company Limited, GMR Generation Assets Limited, Sterlite Power, CESC Limited, Torrent Power, ReNew Power, Greenko Group, LAT Limited, Feedback Energy Distribution Co Limited (FEDCO), MB Power Limited, CLP India Private Limited, EDF India, Enel Global Infrastructure and Network SRL and Megha Engineering Infrastructure Limited.
The decision to privatise the department was taken on May 12 last year after directions from the Centre. The UT administration had on November 9 invited bids for power privatisation. In December, the high court stayed the process of power privatisation on the petition by the UT powermen union. The Supreme Court on January 12 put on hold this stay, and on January 14, the administration resumed the sale of tender.
