Haryana Electricity board takes web2.0 route – goes for crowdsourcing
Electricity theft is a big problem in India and it wont be wrong to say that electricity boards nationwide have failed to keep a check on the theft.
Haryana electricity board probably took a cue from web2.0 world and used the crowdsourcing model to clean up the system.
The theft informer scheme, launched by the southern Haryana electricity distribution agency in January this year, has so far received 8,500 complaints about the power theft in the region.
The agency has detected 1,400 theft incidents, involving a penalty of Rs.28.5 million, based on the information it got from the public.
‘Keeping in mind the increased interest of informers in the scheme, we have increased the incentive to the informer from 20 percent to 40 percent of the recovered amount of penalty, and now there is no maximum limit of the incentives, – source
Essentially, it was incentive based scheme which got the users hooked in – if not for incentive, the entire scheme wouldn’t have worked!
And that makes me wonder – Does crowdsourcing works only with a proper incentive? Or, given the right platform – will people contribute for free (e.g. wikipedia, and to a certain extent, pluggd.in)?
Is that why most of the socionets run dry in India (lack of good platform/incentive)?
What’s your opinion?
About the author - Ashish Sinha is a Startup Mentor/Product Strategy Coach, and the founder/chief editor of pluGGd.in.
He has launched/managed couple of products (consumer as well as enterprise) in US and India, and now consults with startups/small businesses on their product/media strategy. He can be reached at: ashish (at) pluGGd.in [+91 98452 06443]
Important Quesion!
Additionally – is there enough “good quality” crowdsourcing interest without a motive ? If not money, its often “social currency”.
Would you just “help” someone with advice/info/tip – no cash, no points, no membership level, nothing ?
It seems you are also used to enjoying such free lunches. Congrats.
“There is nothing called free lunch” as somebody said.
Yet, the wikipedia exists!
Now that we know this works it can be extended to a lot of other public domains like people using water indiscriminately to wash cars.I could think of just this right now but i am sure there are more areas.
[...] electricty (no word on how that’s measured), leading one blogger on the subcontinent to wonder whether crowdsourcing’s success is proportional to the size of the incentive. I’d say [...]
Dear sirs
I wish to bring to your notice the malpractices your officials are openly indulging in.
This after noon, around 1.30 pm I visited the Chancellor Club, Palam Vihar, Gurgaon, of whci I am a regular member. At about 1.40 four gentlemen came into the Bar and from the time they entered their behaviour was not normal. Intrigues, I inquired from the Club Secretary, Sh Sharma, and was shocked to learn that they were all Excise officials, who were habititual of visiting the club often for a FREE Drinks and meals, obviously, misusing their position.
Ifelt offended not only at their presence but their starnge behaviour, looked as if they had alraedy had a few drinks before paying a visit to the Chancellor Club.
I could manage to take a icture with my mobile, though it may not be very clear to reveal their identity, the same can be ascertained with the Club Secretary. They were ordering drinks and eats freely as if they were members of the club.
On confronting Mr Sharma, the Club Secretary, I was disappointed at his helplessness. I am at a loss to understand why should the club entretain these corrupt babus unless the club itself indulges in malpracticesSince this has become a routine with these thugs, it is high time the authorities, the press and the Club Management woke up, unless, of course they have themselves to hide something.
Lo and Behold, the three gentlemen sitting and enjoying club’s hospitatlity were the officials from the Electricity department. They have failed to provide electricity but have the cheek to fleece the clubs and other such organisations.
According to club authorities, such visits by these corrupt officials for free meals etc is very common.
http://www.pankajbatra.com/2008/09/17/haryana-electricity-department-goes-online/
[...] fact, there was an interesting post about government using Crowdsourcing to reduce the electricity theft. The author raised a valid point by asking if the move had worked [...]