VIJAYAWADA: Union Minister of State for Power and New and Renewable Energy Shripad Yesso Naik on Tuesday chaired the fourth Group of Ministers (GoM) meeting on power sector reforms in Vijayawada on Tuesday.
The meeting brought together energy ministers and senior officials from six States to deliberate on coordinated policy and financial measures to address challenges facing India’s power distribution companies (DISCOMs).
The session focused on cost-reflective tariffs, streamlining net metering, mandatory cost adjustments for fuel and power purchases, and tariff reforms linked to inflation indices.
Naik emphasised the need to strengthen the Appellate Tribunal for Electricity (APTEL) and advocated regulatory clarity to ensure sectoral stability and consumer fairness.
He proposed simplifying and standardising tariff orders, streamlining net metering for rooftop solar systems, and linking annual tariff revisions to inflation indices like the Wholesale Price Index (WPI) to foster transparency and predictability for utilities and consumers.
Financial restructuring took centre stage, with calls to lower interest rates offered by REC and PFC, eliminate prepayment penalties, and expedite implementation of the Revamped Distribution Sector Scheme (RDSS).