With this edition, Electrical Monitor completes seven years of service
to the electrical equipment fraternity. At this momentous juncture,
we would like to thank all our readers, advertisers and well-wishers
for their unflinching support. Over the years, the publication has grown
tremendously in stature, reach and acceptability. It has earned a place of
repute in the crowded world of trade journals. None of these achievements
could have been possible without the cheerful and unrelenting support from
all stakeholders.
There is a mixed feeling as Electrical Monitor marks its 7th Anniversary. The
electrical equipment industry, it must be admitted, is passing through a rough
patch. For the first time in over a decade, the industry recorded negative
growth in the first quarter of FY13. The decline refused to abate in the second
quarter and it is widely believed that FY13 would end up as being amongst
the most uninspiring years for the electrical equipment industry. Any industry
observer will agree that the level of investment activity in the entire power value
chain is at its nadir. New orders and contracts from the power T&D sector
have stagnated. Excess manufacturing capacities created in anticipation of a
surge in demand are idling. As if poor domestic demand were not enough,
foreign suppliers, mainly from China and Korea, are flooding the market and
grabbing precious market share.
While all this may appear depressing, there is reason to cheer. The power
sector is the fountainhead of socio-economic development. If India has to
achieve its stated goals of economic growth, there is no way in which the
country can disregard the power sector. The main issue stifling the power and
infrastructure sectors is policy paralysis.
Technology is our only hope to bring about techno-commercial efficiency in
the power T&D sector. The private sector, always known to be the champions
of technology, can therefore be the agent of change. Time and again, the
government has stumbled in its efforts to bring about widespread privatization
in the power T&D circle. Facilitating private participation should be not just a
political agenda but an inviolate mission.
This commemorative edition features a special story “Who’s the Best?” It is a
scientific and unbiased study to find out the country’s best-performing
companies in the power T&D sector. The edition also features interviews with
company chiefs of a wide spectrum of industries. Guest articles from industry
leaders complete the picture in making this Anniversary Issue a powerhouse
of information and insight.
We once again thank our supporters for being on our side, and look forward
to celebrating more anniversaries in the service of the industry.
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