Mapping Power: The Political Economy of Electricity in India's States

by Navroz K. Dubash (Editor), Ranjit Bharvirkar (Editor), Sunila S. Kale (Editor)

Despite several decades of reform, India's electricity sector remains marked by the twin problems of financial indebtedness and inability to provide universal, high quality electricity for all. Although political obstacles to reform are frequently invoked in electricity policy debates, Mapping Power provides the first thorough analysis of the political economy of electricity in Indian states. Through narratives of the electricity sectors in fifteen major states, this book argues that a historically-rooted political economy analysis provides the most useful means to understand the past and identify reforms for the future. The book begins with an analytic framework to understand how the political economy of power both shapes and is shaped by a given state's larger political economy. The book concludes with a synthetic account of the political economy of electricity that is animated by insights from the state-level empirical materials. The volume shows that attempts to depoliticize the sector are misplaced. Instead, successful reform efforts should aim at a positive dynamic between electricity reform and electoral success.

Genres: India

376 pages, Hardcover

Published February 6, 2019

Reviews

[Harini Dedhia · Rating 4 out of 5]

A great read to understand the Indian Power Sector. Given that electricity is a subject on the concurrent list, each state has come with their own unique way of creating a mess in the sector and attempting to deal with the same. What is very interesting to see is how voters in the different states have reacted to power politics with West Bengal appreciating provision of infrastructure above all else and many others appreciating subsidising agricultural consumption. The in-depth study presented in a succinct format for each state makes this a very interesting read for someone delving into the power sector for the very first time.

[Deepak · Rating 4 out of 5]

A really enjoyable book especially if you are interested in the governance and political economy related to the sector.