State’s socio-economic review for 2007-08 shows that power consumption in the sector has dipped from 15,695 million units (MU) when Narendra Modi became the chief minister in 2001 to 11,016 MU in 2006-07. The figure touched a low of 9,958 in 2004-05 – the year that saw the peak of turf war between the Modi government and the RSS-affiliated farmers’ body, Bharatiya Kisan Sangh (BKS) — over the issue of erratic and short power supply to the sector.

This seems to be affecting the agricultural production. Against a total of 11,002 Metric Tonnes (MT) of production (both food and non-food) in 2005-06, the figure was 9,084 MT in 2006-07, a dip of 17.4 per cent. Though within this, the food grain production basket has shown a marginal gain of 2.4 per cent in the corresponding period.

On the other hand, the industry sector has consistently increased its consumption of power from 9,817 MU in 2001 to 15,680 MU now on the back of a sound economic growth. Against a drop of 4,679 MU in agricultural consumption, industrial consumption, with little subsidy component, has increased by 5,863 MU in the corresponding period.

Official sources said it is a mark of effective administrative measures in managing the demand-supply situation in the state. The government is reaping benefits of this tighter management in terms of reducing subsidy bill, which was shown as a proud achievement in its fiscal responsibility report this year.

The statement made under the Gujarat Fiscal Responsibility Act-2005 shows that its subsidy bill for energy has reduced consistently from Rs 2,461 crore in 2003-04 to Rs 1,767 crore, as per the revised estimates of fiscal 2007-08.

An officer of the Energy department said it is due to a better demand management that “no one is being deprived of power”.