Evaluation of drum and wenexa : assessing the impact of usaid - india’s distribution reform, upgrades and management program and its water and energy nexus program

Since the electrification of Bangalore in 1906, India’s power sector has experienced tremendous growth and change, but also has been faced with challenges. Today, 78 million rural households do not have electricity and nearly 40 percent of Indians still rely on kerosene lamps for light. Yet India is on the move with more than 10.4 percent growth last year. As India quickly moves into the ranks of “developed countries” an electric power sector that is efficient and effective is imperative if the country is to sustain its upward trajectory. However, many utilities are unreliable suppliers and financially unsustainable. A modern and financially viable competitive electric power industry is essential to attract foreign direct investment. Against this background, the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) launched the Distribution Reform, Upgrade and Management (DRUM) program in 2004. The training component consisted of the development of 24 short-term training courses on 19 subjects, delivered in 20 training institutes throughout the country. The original goal was to train 25,000 upper-, middle-, and low-level utility employees throughout the country by september, 2008. When the program was extended, the goal was revised to train 35,000 professionals by september, 2012. The training program is on track and to date has trained more than 33,000 people in short-term training courses, 150 people in a year-long energy management program, and over 1,500 people in a comprehensive distance learning program. Overall, the training component has been very successful and well worth the money USAID spent. There is now a culture of training (at all levels) in the pilot utilities as well as some non-DRUM utilities. The DRUM training framework has been adopted by the Government of India (GOI) to impart its own training under its urban electrification program, RAPDRP. Additionally, some of the private sector training institutes are modifying the DRUM materials to continue the training after the end of the program. The training program is now able to stand on its own without USAID support. Indeed, the long-term energy management course initiated by DRUM has increased its tuition by 328 percent, while applications for enrollment have tripled. [authors abstract]