New Delhi, January 21, 2026: Union Minister of Power Manohar Lal on Tuesday said that India’s power sector is set to expand significantly in the coming years, driven by the country’s fast-growing economy. Emphasising the need for a robust distribution sector, he said financially strong and prosperous DISCOMs are essential for improved services and greater consumer sensitivity.

The Minister was delivering the inaugural address at the Electricity Distribution Industry Conference – EDICON 2026, being held on January 21–22. The conference is organised under the aegis of the Ministry of Power, in collaboration with the All India Discoms Association (AIDA).

Highlighting reforms in the distribution sector, Manohar Lal urged State Electricity Regulatory Commissions to move towards cost-reflective tariffs, while ensuring targeted subsidies for needy consumers, in line with provisions of the Electricity Act.

During the event, the Minister unveiled the first edition of AIDA’s annual report titled “India Discoms: 2025”. The report provides an outlook of the electricity distribution sector, detailing efforts by DISCOMs to improve reliability of supply and operational efficiency, challenges faced by the sector, and initiatives undertaken by the Ministry of Power and the Central Electricity Regulatory Commission (CERC). It also highlights key reforms such as the Draft Electricity Amendment Bill and the India Energy Stack, and includes 13 articles by eminent power sector experts, along with a summary of AIDA’s activities in 2025.

The Power Minister also conferred Gold and Silver Awards to 12 DISCOMs across six categories, recognising excellence in areas such as:

• Improvement in revenue recovery in rural areas
• Best use of smart meter data
• Enhanced consumer satisfaction through digital payments
• Innovation in renewable energy integration
• Agricultural feeder solarisation
• Effective change management for improved consumer services

Award-winning DISCOMs hailed from Gujarat, Odisha, Assam, Bihar, Uttar Pradesh, Maharashtra, Rajasthan, Tamil Nadu, and West Bengal.

The event was attended by Pankaj Agarwal, Secretary, Ministry of Power; Lokesh Chandra, CMD, MSEDCL and President, AIDA; Dr. Ashish Kumar Goel, Chairperson, UPPCL and General Secretary, AIDA;  Alok Kumar, Director General, AIDA, along with several other eminent personalities from the power sector.

The conference aims to deliberate on key challenges and reforms required to strengthen India’s electricity distribution ecosystem in line with future energy demands.