By B S Reporter
In 1995 when young and energetic B N Sharma was appointed as the secretary of Rajasthan State Electricity Board little did he know that after 26 years, he would become the regulator of electricity in the state.
Later his experience as the chairman and managing director of Jaipur Discom followed by four-year rich stint in union power ministry as joint secretary and then additional secretary just gave him enough insight to master the power sector. Fresh energy has been flowing in the state electricity regulatory office ever since 1985 batch IAS officer Badri Narain Sharma took over as the chairman.
Unlike many previous chairmen of Rajasthan Electricity Regulatory Commission, Sharma's intention is to resolve long pending issues plaguing the sector. His positive approach has resulted in conducting large number of public hearing and their rightful disposal in a short spell of less than two years punctuated with Corona period and partial lockdown.
With his illustrious career spanning 34 years, Sharma has had great achievements, both working in his home cadre as well as on deputation in centre.
A post graduate in commerce, Sharma has been credited for the formulation of GST and its implementation while working as additional secretary in revenue department. He was a member of the board of directors of the GSTN—the infotech backbone of the nationwide order matching system which is GST that completely transformed the Indian taxation system.
Unarguably down-to-earth, Sharma is the custodian of power sector in Rajasthan. Sitting on the hottest seat, he has the coolest mind around. Those who know him can vouch for the transparency he maintains in his decisions. His ever smiling face never reflects the 24X7 work pressure he's been through.
Sharma, the self-made achiever, keeps in mind how to improve the lives of people at the last mile. His empathetic attitude towards downtrodden and poor makes him the ‘perfect idol' for people of lesser God. While people find him approachable, subordinates look up to him as a mentor.
“I have had an opportunity to work with Sharma Sahab in three different departments. His affable demeanour puts everyone at ease. Be it a rustic villager coming all the way from remote Barmer village or a suave business tycoon, Sharma is the same for everyone. His aim has always been to bring smiles on public faces through appropriate interventions,” said a retired senior bureaucrat.
The BuckStopper, run by a group of seasoned journalists, holds the powerful accountable. The buck stops with them, as they cannot shrug off their official responsibilities.
