State ends inspector raj for electricity consumers

Jaipur: Dismantling decades of bureaucratic red tape, chief minister Bhajan Lal Sharma, in his Budget reply Friday, announced that electrical safety norms will now be exempt from mandatory inspections by electrical inspectors for consumers with installations up to 33 kV. Such consumers constitute a vast majority of the state's industrial landscape.Under the new framework, the requirement for a govt-led physical inspection is being replaced by a self-certification process, empowering entrepreneurs to certify their own compliance with safety standards.
However, he said stringent mandatory inspections will be in place for crowded and sensitive places like cinema halls, hospitals, and major public complexes.Ajitabh Sharma, ACS (energy), said, "By allowing self-certification for routine 33 kV connections, we are ensuring faster resolution of consumer applications, while improving the ease of doing business framework."Sharma said that the energy department will now shift focus to the implementation of a digital portal that will allow the seamless filing of self-certification documents and make the electrical inspector's visit an exception rather than the rule.The policy overhaul came after allegations of corruption and the suspension of a senior engineer responsible for inspection and approval.Recently, the National Federation of Engineers (NFE) for Electrical Safety submitted a formal grievance to the joint secretary of the energy department, calling for immediate removal of outdated inspection requirements.DD Agarwal, President of NFE-Rajasthan, said, "By finally aligning state policy with the Central Electricity Authority (CEA) Regulations of 2023, the govt addressed the long-standing demands."He said for the thousands of small and medium-scale industrial units that form the backbone of the state's economy, this announcement signals the end of an era defined by complex paperwork and unpredictable timelines.While the largest industrial units will still operate under traditional oversight, the vast middle tier of the industry now finds itself unburdened.