134 CHAPTER 10 Resources and Political Strategies
Energy-sector employees’ organizations have two major resources with which to generate political capital: their technical and organizational knowledge (human capital) and their extensive membership (social capital). In both states, the engineers’ associations have engaged in lobbying, bringing to bear their expertise on electricity issues. For example, the Engineers’ Association of the PSEB has produced various documents that analyze the reform experi- ence in other states and propose alternatives to privatization, such as func- tional unbundling. The employees’ organizations can also exercise the threat of going on strike. In Andhra Pradesh, this power has allowed them to enter into negotiations and a tripartite agreement that protects their interests. In Punjab, the Technical Services Union has cooperated with the Kisan Sabha (farmers’ organization) in campaigning against privatization.
Nongovernmental Organizations (NGOs)
People’s Monitoring Group on Electricity Regulation (PMGER) This NGO, which brings together a wide spectrum of organizations, has played an interesting role in influencing electricity policy in Andhra Pradesh. Box 10.1 provides background information on this group.
Interests. PMGER’s policy recommendations represent an interesting example of “packaging” various measures to address the interests of the different constituents. Before the 2004 elections, PMGER recommended that electric- ity for pump irrigation should be made free, which would be in the interests of farmers and agricultural laborers. Energy-sector employees also supported this measure as a strategy to prevent privatization. PMGER emphasized that the free-electricity policy should be accompanied by measures to save elec- tricity and control groundwater extraction, such as the installation of capaci- tors, and restrictions on new bore wells. Obviously, these measures address the primary interests of the environmental groups. However, one interviewee representing Prayas, a Pune-based NGO engaged in energy sector reforms that is a member of PMGER, explained that his organization does not consider free electricity to be an appropriate policy in the long run, but regarded it as currently necessary to address the crisis in the farm sector.
Resources and Political Strategies. PMGER can draw on the combined organi- zational capacity of its member organizations as an important source of social capital. The group’s political strategies include media campaigns, lobbying, and educational activities. Before the 2004 elections, the group supported free electricity, associated with energy- and water-saving measures, by issu-
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