Arvind Kumar appointed chairman of UP Electricity Regulatory Commission

livemint.com:

New Delhi: Arvind Kumar , advisor for industries to the Uttar Pradesh chief minister, has been appointed as the chairman of the Uttar Pradesh Electricity Regulatory Commission (UPERC). Kumar succeeds Raj Pratap Singh whose tenure ended in June.

After his retirement in February this year, Kumar was appointed as an advisor on industries to the Uttar Pradesh chief minister Yogi Adityanath. Kumar, a 1988 batch IAS officer, earlier headed the state energy department and was also the chairman of UP Power Corporation Ltd (UPPCL) and the state’s Infrastructure and Industrial Development Commissioner (IIDC).

He was also instrumental in framing the state’s industrial policy. The state government made the appointment after a three-member selection committee, headed by Justice (Retired) Umesh Kumar of Allahabad High Court, recommended two names from 33 shortlisted candidates and forwarded the same to the government.

The committee comprised chief secretary Durga Shankar Mishra and the Central Electricity Regulatory Commission chairman. The appointment comes days after state electricity regulator dismissed the proposal to raise power tariffs.

The appointment also comes a time when the power sector in the country is going through reforms and states have been asked to lower regulatory assets and clear dues. According to report, the state administration would witnessed major reshuffles as at least seven IAS officers are set to retire by August 31, 2023.