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1.
Amartya Sen wrote about the Indian tradition of skepticism and heterodoxy of opinion that led to high levels of intellectual argument. The power sector in India is a victim of this tradition at its worst. Instead of forcefully communicating, supporting and honestly and firmly implementing policies, people just debate them. It is argued that central undertakings produce power at lower tariffs and must therefore build most of the required extra capacities. This is a delusion. They no longer have access to low-cost government funds.
Uncertainty about payment remains a reason for the hesitation of private investment. They had to sell only to SEBs (state Electricity Boards), SEB balance sheets are cleaner after the “securitisation” of the Rs. 40,000 crore or so owed by SEBs to central government undertakings, now shown as debt instruments. But state governments have not implemented agreed plans to ensure repayment when due. The current annual losses of around Rs. 28,000 crore make repayment highly uncertain. The central undertakings that are their main suppliers have payment security because the government will come to their help. Private enterprises do not have such assurance and are concerned about payment security, that must be resolved.
By the late 1990s, improving the SEB finances was recognized as fundamental to power reform. Unbundling SEBs, working under corporate discipline and even privatization and not vertically integrated state enterprises, are necessary for efficient and financially viable electricity enterprises. Since government will not distance itself from managing them, privatizing is an option. The Delhi model has worked. But it receives no public support.
The Electricity Act 2003, the APRDP (Accelerated Power Reform and Development Programme) with its incentives and penalties, and the creation of creation of independent regulatory commissions, were the means to bring about reforms to improve financial viability of power sector. Implementation has been halfhearted and results disappointing. The concurrent nature of electricity in the Constitution impedes power sector improvement. States are more responsive to populist pressures than the central government, and less inclined to take drastic action against electricity thieves.
Captive power would add significantly to capacity. However, captive generation, three years after the Act enabled it, has added little to capacity because rules for open access were delayed. Redefined captive generation avoids state vetoes on purchase or sale of electricity except to state electricity enterprises. Mandating open access on state-owned wires to power regardless of ownership and customer would encourage electricity trading. The Act recognized electricity trading as a separate activity. A surcharge on transmission charges will pay for cross-subsidies. These were to be eliminated in time. Rules for open access and quantum of surcharge by each state commission (under broad principles defined by the central commission) have yet to be announced by some. The few who have announced by some. The few who have announced the surcharge have kept it so high that no trading can take place.[1] The author thinks it appropriate to____
(1) discuss any policy in details and make it fool proof instead of implementing it hastily.
(2) follow Indian tradition meticulously as skepticism is essential for major decisions.
(3) divert our energies from fruitlessly contracting policies to supporting its implementation whole heartedly.
(4) intellectual arguments and conceptualization of every policy is definitely better than its enforcement.
(5) None of these[2] Why are the Central undertakings not capable of generating power at low cost?
(1) Due to paucity of low-cost funds
(2) Due to their access to Government funds
(3) Due to their delusion about government funds
(4) Because of their extra capacities
(5) None of these[3] Which of the following is the reason for apathy of private investors in power sector?
(1) Their hesitation
(2) Uncertainty of their survival
(3) Cut-throat competition
(4) Lack of guarantee of timely returns
(5) None of these[4] What was the serious omission on the part of the State Government ?
(1) Agreement for late recovery of dues
(2) Reluctance to repay to private investors as per agreed plan
(3) Non-implementation of recovery due to unplanned and haphazard policies
(4) Lack of assurance from private enterprises
(5) None of these[5] Which of the following is/are considered necessary for improving performance of electricity enterprises?
(A) Corporate work culture
(b) Privatisation
(C) Properly integrated State enterprises
(1) All the three
(2) (A) and (B) only
(3) (A) and (C) only
(4) (B) and (C) only
(5) None of these[6] The example of “Delhi Model” quoted by the author underlines his feelings of ____
(A) happiness about its success.
(B) unhappiness for lack of public support.
(C) disgust towards privatisation.
(1) (A) and (B) only
(2) (B) and (C) only
(3) (A) and (C) only
(4) All the three
(5) None of these[7] Which of the following was/were NOT considered as the instrument(s) to accomplish financial well being of power sector?
(1) The Electricity Act 2003
(2) The APRDP with its incentives and penalties
(3) Setting up of independent regulatory commissions
(4) States’ vulnerability to populist pressures
(5) Taking drastic action against electricity thieves[8] Why were the results of the power sector reforms NOT as had been anticipated ?
(1) The means to bring about reforms were ill-conceived
(2) The enforcement of the reform means was inadequate and apathetic.
(3) The Act and the reform measures were contradicting with each other.
(4) The incentives on the one hand and penalties on the other created dissatisfaction.
(5) None of these[9] What serious drawback of the States is pointed out by the author of the passage?
(1) The incentives and penalties enforced by the States were disproportionately uncomparable
(2) The enforcement of the provisions of the acts was drastic and harsh
(3) Their vulnerability to fall prey to populist pressures
(4) Imposition of penalties were not judicious and incentives were not free from partiality
(5) None of these[10] Choose the word or group of words which is MOST NEARLY THE SAME in meaning as the word printed in bold.
DISTANCE
(1) keep away
(2) differentiate between
(3) long for
(4) have remoteness
(5) advance along[11] Choose the word or group of words which is MOST NEARLY THE SAME in meaning as the word printed in bold.
ELUSION
(1) proper understanding
(2) wrong prediction
(3) false belief
(4) unkind propaganda
(5) unrealistic optimism
[12] Choose the word or group of words which is MOST NEARLY THE SAME in meaning as the word printed in bold.
VIABILITY
(1) ability to reform
(2) ability to meditate
(3) power to bounce
(4) ability to spend
(5) capability to survive
[13] Choose the word or group of words which is MOST OPPOSITE in meaning of the word printed in bold.
FORCEFULLY
(1) vehemently
(2) meekly
(3) dispassionately
(4) neutrally
(5) unlawfully
[14] Choose the word or group of words which is MOST OPPOSITE in meaning of the word printed in bold.
IMPEDES
(1) interferes
(2) grows
(3) excels
(4) promotes
(5) exaggerates
[15] Choose the word or group of words which is MOST OPPOSITE in meaning of the word printed in bold.
UNBUNDLING
(1) disorganising
(2) reorienting
(3) segregating
(4) winding
(5) integrating
asked in CET(MH)
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