Ashwini K Swain | Centre for Policy Research (original) (raw)
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Papers by Ashwini K Swain
CPR Policy Brief, 2023
Entrenched gender biases and injustices in the coal political economy cannot be wished away with ... more Entrenched gender biases and injustices in the coal political economy cannot be wished away with the ongoing shift from coal to renewable energy. Rather, the energy transition must seek to unwind these entrenched patterns in the 20th century energy system while creating an equal role for and participation of women in the 21st century energy system. To do so, just transition planning must proactively engage with gender questions in coal communities and envision a gender-transformative pathway to the transition in India’s coal states.
Analysing the forms of exclusions faced by women in coal economies, this brief argues that women face four structural barriers – entry barrier, distribution barrier, wage barrier and representation barrier – that are consequential for their social and economic status and agency. The combined effects of these barriers, the masculine nature of the coal industry and existing social norms marginalise women in India’s coal communities and confines them to three observed patterns of engagement: 1) social reproductive labour, 2) informal casual labour and coal scavenging, and 3) formal but menial labour in coal mines.
The ongoing shifts in our energy foundations offer an opportunity to unwind the gender inequities and injustices of the coal economy and envision a gender equal energy future. In this direction, the brief suggests four immediate steps to engage with the gender question as part of just transition planning.
Recognise women labour force in the coal economy through an intersectionality-informed analytical and assessment framework.
Ensure women’s representation in just transition planning at different tiers of governance and decision making.
Promote gender inclusive economic diversification in coal regions, with particular attention to women- centric and women-led economic opportunities.
Treat women as change agents in the energy transition harnessing their potential role in smoothening the disruptions of the transition.
India: Policy Challenges 2019-2024, CPR, 2019
CPR Report, 2020
Promote domestic manufacturing of clean energy equipment based on a broad strategy that adopts a ... more Promote domestic manufacturing of clean energy equipment based on a broad strategy that adopts a green industrial policy approach, supports innovation and addresses distributive questions.
The India Forum, 2019
The expansion of renewable energy (RE) within India’s electricity system is not a technical quest... more The expansion of renewable energy (RE) within India’s electricity system is not a technical question alone. It is also an inherently political struggle between powerful incumbents and disruptive challengers, with destabilising consequences for existing institutional forms and power structures. The existing system is held in place by a supporting configuration of technology, politics and institutions. If RE is to substantially displace fossil fuels, the existing configuration will have to give way to a new such configuration that supports RE. This article explains the existing political and institutional underpinnings of the current electricity system, and discusses the forces that hold them in place and what it will take to shake these loose.
In doing so, it seeks to make two points to two discrete audiences. First, to electricity and energy practitioners, it suggests that looking at the spread of RE only through a technical lens is highly incomplete; the likelihood, speed and impact of RE will be determined by political and institutional factors as well. Second, to broader analysts of India’s economy and politics, it suggests that disruptions in Indian energy are highly likely to also imply disruptive politics and economics; any story of Indian political economy in the coming decade is incomplete without an exploration of shifts driven by changes in electricity politics.
Despite phenomenal growth in power availability, Madhya Pradesh continues to struggle with high-l... more Despite phenomenal growth in power availability, Madhya Pradesh continues to struggle with high-level energy poverty. Two decades after the state-initiated distribution reforms, the power utilities are still grappling with past problems. Institutional restructuring, which unfolded over 11 years, resulted in a complex institutional architecture that provides the state government with systematic control over the sector. By prioritizing an increase in the amount of power available, the state has undermined access and affordability and thus reinstated an economic divide in society. On the operational side, the utilities still face high losses and poor billing and collection, which results in high dependency on the state government for bailouts.
Against this backdrop, this paper for the Mapping Power project analyses the power sector reform trajectory in the state to examine policy choices and outcomes. It also looks at the political-economic drivers for these policy choices and how they deviate from or comply with signals from India’s central government. Drawing on the findings, the paper seeks to explain the limits of generation bias and state allocation, and examine how intensive institutional restructuring has resulted in consolidated state control over the sector. Finally, it analyses the implications of past experiences and the prevailing context for ongoing and future reforms.
By achieving the longstanding national aspiration of universal access and recording a per capita ... more By achieving the longstanding national aspiration of universal access and recording a per capita consumption of nearly double the national average, Punjab’s power sector appears to be a successful case of electrical development. Despite good performance in loss reduction and collection efficiency, both factors that ail many electricity utilities in India, Punjab’s only distribution utility is still grappling with financial loss and a high debt almost equal to one year’s revenue requirement. The state has been in the news for extending free power, which increases the subsidy burden on the state economy. The state has recently joined the bandwagon of the UDAY (“Dawn”) electrification plan in an effort to turn around the finances of the distribution company.
Against this backdrop, this paper aims to understand how the sector has evolved over more than a decade of reforms. It analyses the developments around power sector reforms in Punjab, with the objective to examine the policy choices and outcomes and identify the winners and losers at the state level. It also analyses the political-economic drivers for these policy choices and how they deviate from or comply with the signals from the Centre. Drawing on the findings, the paper explains the futility of unsolicited populism, the limits of the Centre’s push for reforms, and how the state has managed to sustain the power dynamics in the sector through skin-deep reforms and minimal institutional restructuring. Finally, it analyses the implications of past experiences and prevailing power dynamics for ongoing and future reforms.
While agriculture in India has achieved grain self-sufficiency, it has become cereal-centric, reg... more While agriculture in India has achieved grain self-sufficiency, it has become cereal-centric, regionally-biased and resource-intensive. In this article, Swain, Price and Sharma discuss the rising resource intensity in Indian agriculture and its implications for agricultural sustainability, productivity and future food production. They explore government initiatives to address the situation and suggest a strategy to increase production with fewer resources.
Despite sustained efforts to reform the sector, electricity distribution in India remains amidst ... more Despite sustained efforts to reform the sector, electricity distribution in India remains amidst complex problems, manifested in the form of loss-making distribution utilities, poor quality of service, governance ambiguities, and absence of basic data. The current wave of reforms seeks to turnaround the sector’s performance by transforming the generation mix, strengthening the network infrastructure, ensuring universal access and better consumer experience, and financial revival of discoms. While policy signals from the centre appear to be promising and ambitious, given the past records, execution of these reform plans at the state level is uncertain.
Against this backdrop, the paper analyses the distribution reform initiated from the centre and the role played by the central government in shaping ideas and stimulating change at the state level. Looking into various diagnoses of the challenges and subsequent reform initiatives, the paper seeks to explain the political economy of successive reform attempts and their outcomes. It also identifies gaps in the current wave of reforms and raises questions for further exploration.
Policy Research Working Papers, 2015
CIRC Issue Note 07, Jul 2014
The Diplomat, Jun 1, 2014
Economic and Political Weekly, Mar 1, 2014
Ideas for India, Sep 6, 2013
CIRC Issue Note 01, Jul 2013
East Asia Forum, May 18, 2013
Ideas for India, Apr 12, 2013
Financial Express, Jan 4, 2013
CPR Policy Brief, 2023
Entrenched gender biases and injustices in the coal political economy cannot be wished away with ... more Entrenched gender biases and injustices in the coal political economy cannot be wished away with the ongoing shift from coal to renewable energy. Rather, the energy transition must seek to unwind these entrenched patterns in the 20th century energy system while creating an equal role for and participation of women in the 21st century energy system. To do so, just transition planning must proactively engage with gender questions in coal communities and envision a gender-transformative pathway to the transition in India’s coal states.
Analysing the forms of exclusions faced by women in coal economies, this brief argues that women face four structural barriers – entry barrier, distribution barrier, wage barrier and representation barrier – that are consequential for their social and economic status and agency. The combined effects of these barriers, the masculine nature of the coal industry and existing social norms marginalise women in India’s coal communities and confines them to three observed patterns of engagement: 1) social reproductive labour, 2) informal casual labour and coal scavenging, and 3) formal but menial labour in coal mines.
The ongoing shifts in our energy foundations offer an opportunity to unwind the gender inequities and injustices of the coal economy and envision a gender equal energy future. In this direction, the brief suggests four immediate steps to engage with the gender question as part of just transition planning.
Recognise women labour force in the coal economy through an intersectionality-informed analytical and assessment framework.
Ensure women’s representation in just transition planning at different tiers of governance and decision making.
Promote gender inclusive economic diversification in coal regions, with particular attention to women- centric and women-led economic opportunities.
Treat women as change agents in the energy transition harnessing their potential role in smoothening the disruptions of the transition.
India: Policy Challenges 2019-2024, CPR, 2019
CPR Report, 2020
Promote domestic manufacturing of clean energy equipment based on a broad strategy that adopts a ... more Promote domestic manufacturing of clean energy equipment based on a broad strategy that adopts a green industrial policy approach, supports innovation and addresses distributive questions.
The India Forum, 2019
The expansion of renewable energy (RE) within India’s electricity system is not a technical quest... more The expansion of renewable energy (RE) within India’s electricity system is not a technical question alone. It is also an inherently political struggle between powerful incumbents and disruptive challengers, with destabilising consequences for existing institutional forms and power structures. The existing system is held in place by a supporting configuration of technology, politics and institutions. If RE is to substantially displace fossil fuels, the existing configuration will have to give way to a new such configuration that supports RE. This article explains the existing political and institutional underpinnings of the current electricity system, and discusses the forces that hold them in place and what it will take to shake these loose.
In doing so, it seeks to make two points to two discrete audiences. First, to electricity and energy practitioners, it suggests that looking at the spread of RE only through a technical lens is highly incomplete; the likelihood, speed and impact of RE will be determined by political and institutional factors as well. Second, to broader analysts of India’s economy and politics, it suggests that disruptions in Indian energy are highly likely to also imply disruptive politics and economics; any story of Indian political economy in the coming decade is incomplete without an exploration of shifts driven by changes in electricity politics.
Despite phenomenal growth in power availability, Madhya Pradesh continues to struggle with high-l... more Despite phenomenal growth in power availability, Madhya Pradesh continues to struggle with high-level energy poverty. Two decades after the state-initiated distribution reforms, the power utilities are still grappling with past problems. Institutional restructuring, which unfolded over 11 years, resulted in a complex institutional architecture that provides the state government with systematic control over the sector. By prioritizing an increase in the amount of power available, the state has undermined access and affordability and thus reinstated an economic divide in society. On the operational side, the utilities still face high losses and poor billing and collection, which results in high dependency on the state government for bailouts.
Against this backdrop, this paper for the Mapping Power project analyses the power sector reform trajectory in the state to examine policy choices and outcomes. It also looks at the political-economic drivers for these policy choices and how they deviate from or comply with signals from India’s central government. Drawing on the findings, the paper seeks to explain the limits of generation bias and state allocation, and examine how intensive institutional restructuring has resulted in consolidated state control over the sector. Finally, it analyses the implications of past experiences and the prevailing context for ongoing and future reforms.
By achieving the longstanding national aspiration of universal access and recording a per capita ... more By achieving the longstanding national aspiration of universal access and recording a per capita consumption of nearly double the national average, Punjab’s power sector appears to be a successful case of electrical development. Despite good performance in loss reduction and collection efficiency, both factors that ail many electricity utilities in India, Punjab’s only distribution utility is still grappling with financial loss and a high debt almost equal to one year’s revenue requirement. The state has been in the news for extending free power, which increases the subsidy burden on the state economy. The state has recently joined the bandwagon of the UDAY (“Dawn”) electrification plan in an effort to turn around the finances of the distribution company.
Against this backdrop, this paper aims to understand how the sector has evolved over more than a decade of reforms. It analyses the developments around power sector reforms in Punjab, with the objective to examine the policy choices and outcomes and identify the winners and losers at the state level. It also analyses the political-economic drivers for these policy choices and how they deviate from or comply with the signals from the Centre. Drawing on the findings, the paper explains the futility of unsolicited populism, the limits of the Centre’s push for reforms, and how the state has managed to sustain the power dynamics in the sector through skin-deep reforms and minimal institutional restructuring. Finally, it analyses the implications of past experiences and prevailing power dynamics for ongoing and future reforms.
While agriculture in India has achieved grain self-sufficiency, it has become cereal-centric, reg... more While agriculture in India has achieved grain self-sufficiency, it has become cereal-centric, regionally-biased and resource-intensive. In this article, Swain, Price and Sharma discuss the rising resource intensity in Indian agriculture and its implications for agricultural sustainability, productivity and future food production. They explore government initiatives to address the situation and suggest a strategy to increase production with fewer resources.
Despite sustained efforts to reform the sector, electricity distribution in India remains amidst ... more Despite sustained efforts to reform the sector, electricity distribution in India remains amidst complex problems, manifested in the form of loss-making distribution utilities, poor quality of service, governance ambiguities, and absence of basic data. The current wave of reforms seeks to turnaround the sector’s performance by transforming the generation mix, strengthening the network infrastructure, ensuring universal access and better consumer experience, and financial revival of discoms. While policy signals from the centre appear to be promising and ambitious, given the past records, execution of these reform plans at the state level is uncertain.
Against this backdrop, the paper analyses the distribution reform initiated from the centre and the role played by the central government in shaping ideas and stimulating change at the state level. Looking into various diagnoses of the challenges and subsequent reform initiatives, the paper seeks to explain the political economy of successive reform attempts and their outcomes. It also identifies gaps in the current wave of reforms and raises questions for further exploration.
Policy Research Working Papers, 2015
CIRC Issue Note 07, Jul 2014
The Diplomat, Jun 1, 2014
Economic and Political Weekly, Mar 1, 2014
Ideas for India, Sep 6, 2013
CIRC Issue Note 01, Jul 2013
East Asia Forum, May 18, 2013
Ideas for India, Apr 12, 2013
Financial Express, Jan 4, 2013
Report, 2018
In India, there is great concern over the retail tariffs being charged for electricity, but ironi... more In India, there is great concern over the retail tariffs being charged for electricity, but ironically little attention is paid to the components of overall costs. Power generation makes up 70-80% of the cost of supplying electricity, and power procurement practices have a significant effect on that cost. Yet almost no attention is paid to how discoms procure power. The recent swings between shortages and surpluses of generating capacity point to serious shortcomings in power procurement practices of discoms. The challenge of effective power procurement will be even greater in the future. Discoms will need to deal with increasing amounts of renewable energy in the resource mix. Smart homes, self-generation and the presence of electric vehicles will add to the challenges and magnify the uncertainty.
Clearly there is an urgent need to improve the power procurement practices in the country to address these challenges. Effective power procurement practices can also facilitate greater energy access through a decrease in the cost per kWh of providing electricity, which will allow access to electricity for a greater number of people for the same amount of money.
This study analyses the current practice of resource planning and power procurement in three states: Delhi, Punjab and Uttar Pradesh. Building on the analysis and drawing from a review of international experience, the study has developed recommendations for improving power procurement practices. The study makes a case for shifting the discourse beyond power procurement to resource planning which covers a broader range of activities. Resource Planning is the process used by discoms to meet the forecasted peak demand and total energy requirements of all their customers. Resource plans with a typical planning horizon of 10-20 years, also focus on cost-effectiveness, minimization of risk, and compliance with environmental and policy goals.