Citizen consumer and civic Action Group (CAG) organized a network meeting in Bangalore on February 22, 2025. This meeting brought together partners from various states in India, including Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Telangana, Chhattisgarh, and Tripura who had been part of the "Accelerating Clean Energy Transition in India" project.
Mr. Vishnu Mohan Rao, Senior Researcher, Electricity Governance,CAG, warmly welcomed the participants and outlined the meeting's agenda. In his opening remarks, he highlighted how the events and activities aligned with the project's objectives and have been smoothly carried out by the partners over time.
Mr.Bharath Ram, Senior Researcher, Electricity Governance, CAG, gave an overview of the project. He also emphasised the outcomes delivered by the partners in their respective states. He highlighted that the outcomes had benefited all the important stakeholders especially domestic consumers in their respective states. Throughout the project period, there had been participation of government department authorities in the various meetings.
Mr.G.N. Bharath Ram, during his presentation
Mr. Kirubakaran and Mr. Manikandan, Researchers, Electricity Governance, CAG, shared their experiences and key outcomes from various collaborative research projects which took place from March 2024 to February 2025. The projects included:
- Electricity Consumption and Cost-Saving Opportunities at DRDA Premises, Tiruvannamalai
- Energy Conservation and Cost Savings with Action Plans – A Case Study on Seven Public Health Centres’ (PHCs) in Tiruvannamalai District
- Assessment of Renewable Energy Systems Installed in PHCs in Tiruvannamalai District
- Energy and Water Sustainability Survey for Salesian Sisters Auxilium Home, Michaelpuram, Kallakurichi District
- Detailed Energy Assessment Study (DEAS) of High-Energy-Consuming Public Utilities in Vengikkal Village Panchayat, Tiruvannamalai District
- Comprehensive Energy Audit in Three Worker-Cooperative Tea Factories in Tripura
- Detailed Energy Audit in Van Allen Hospital, Kodaikanal
- Green Building Assessment Study at DRDA, Panchayat Union Building, Theni
- Sustainability Audit at Genepool Eco Park, Gudalur
Mr.Kirubakaran, presenting outcomes and experiences from the various studies
Experience sharing session by project partners:
Mr. Y.G. Muralidharan, Founder Trustee of CREAT, Karnataka, shared his insights from organising meetings across the districts of the state. Meetings that focused on capacity-building programs related to electricity regulations proved to be effective, especially as these were attended by the same groups of stakeholders. One key initiative in Karnataka was the establishment of the Local Electricity Forum. The Forum members have actively engaged in addressing the grievances of consumers who previously struggled to have their issues resolved. The widespread meetings held throughout the state have fostered meaningful participation and collaboration within the electricity sector.
Mr. Sanjay Sharma, Founder of Anmol Foundation, Chhattisgarh, stated that he gained valuable insights into electricity-related regulations through this project. Anmol Foundation conducted one meeting in each district, targeting low, middle, and high revenue areas, and engaging a diverse range of consumers. Since Chhattisgarh had not previously hosted any electricity awareness meetings, Anmol Foundation stands out as the first organisation to undertake such initiatives.
Mr. Amrit Lal Saha, President of Consumers Protection Association (CPA), Tripura, has spearheaded numerous awareness programs on various topics across the state. Notably, the CPA stands out as the sole organization in Tripura to promote awareness about electricity and renewable energy. CPA successfully brought together key stakeholders, including the Power Secretary, Government of Tripura; and the Chairman of Tripura Electricity Regulatory Commission for these meetings. This is a significant achievement. In all scheduled meetings, it was ensured that officials from the DISCOM were present, ensuring their participation in this collaborative project.
Mr. Narasimha Reddy Donthi, Member, People’s Monitoring Group on Electricity Regulation (PMGER), Hyderabad, Telangana, mentioned that the activities assigned to them (conducting capacity building programmes and seminars) differed from those assigned to other states. He pointed out that the conferences and workshops with experts sharing their insights on various electricity related subjects were highly successful. Key topics covered included energy transition, net-zero initiatives, sustainable development goals, and climate-resilient agriculture. Participants—ranging from college students and farmers to energy experts and everyday consumers—expressed genuine interest in these discussions.
Mr. J.M. Boopathi, Founder of Consumer Rights Movement, Tamil Nadu, has a longstanding relationship with CAG. The project's initial meeting took place in Salem and saw more than 50 participants. Each subsequent meeting was tailored to engage different target audiences. Mr. J.M. Boopathi pointed out that most attendees were from the MSME sector as well as some other commercial consumers. Throughout these meetings, consumers had the opportunity to voice their grievances, which Mr. Boopathi, along with a retired electricity expert, sought to resolve. He emphasized that building strong relationships with both the Discom and media outlets has been incredibly beneficial. All meeting discussions were widely covered by major media houses to raise awareness and highlight issues facing electricity consumers.
Way forward:
The discussion also focused on the upcoming project centered around the implementation of rooftop solar photovoltaic (PV) systems. The project partners expressed a strong interest in understanding the various elements involved in solar energy systems. To address this need, they requested that CAG take the initiative to organize a comprehensive workshop to cover the fundamental concepts of solar PV technology, installation techniques, maintenance procedures, and potential benefits, thereby equipping all partners with the necessary knowledge to engage effectively with the project.
Furthermore, the partners also proposed the idea of convening another meeting prior to the official launch of the Accelerating Clean Energy Transition in India - Phase 2 project. The purpose of this preliminary gathering would be to clarify the objectives of the project in detail and to collaboratively outline a clear plan for the subsequent steps.
Mr. Bharath Ram ended the meeting by expressing gratitude to all participants for their contributions and insights.
Participants at the event