Electricity theft is becoming a serious problem in Gujarat. In the last two years, inspections found that 282,164 consumers were illegally using electricity. Of these, 152,602 people have been booked for theft worth ₹1,029 crore.
Gujarat Urja Vikas Nigam Limited (GUVNL) has filed cases at 16 police stations across the state. Despite strict laws in the Indian Electricity Act, 2003, many continue to steal power. These laws can lead to fines or imprisonment for up to three years.
GUVNL conducts surprise checks through four regional units. These units are:
– DGVCL (South Gujarat)
– MGVCL (Central Gujarat)
– UGVCL (North Gujarat)
– PGVCL (West Gujarat)
When caught, offenders must pay for the stolen electricity and a penalty. If they do not pay, police complaints are filed. PGVCL reported the highest number of theft cases.
In the financial year 2023–24, there were 150,920 illegal connections found in nearly 19.67 lakh inspections. In 2024–25, 131,244 cases were detected from 18.92 lakh checks. This shows a large issue with power theft in the state.
In total, 282,164 cases of power theft were found. All were penalised, but 152,602 did not pay, leading to police action. Some inspection teams even faced violence during their checks. In the past two years, there have been 61 attacks, including stone pelting, even with police protection.
Farmers are among the main offenders. The number of farmers involved in electricity theft has tripled in the last three years. Reports show over 1.64 lakh cases of theft among farmers, amounting to nearly ₹100 crore. Most of these cases are reported from the Saurashtra region, which is facing water shortages.
Bhavnagar district has recorded the most theft cases among farmers, with 38,900 cases in the past year. Other affected districts include Amreli, Junagadh, Rajkot, and Surendranagar. Many farmers are struggling with pending applications for electricity connections, further complicating the issue.
The state government has announced schemes to provide more power connections to farmers. However, the power allocation for agriculture has been steadily decreasing, while industrial power consumption has increased.
In Surat, a significant case of theft was discovered in the Rander area. Officials detected power theft worth ₹2.47 crore during a routine inspection. The method involved tampering with meter seals and bypassing the meters. This case is under investigation.
Paschim Gujarat Vij Company Limited (PGVCL) reported a nearly 33% increase in electricity theft in the financial year 2022-23 compared to the previous year. Theft worth ₹218 crore was detected, affecting over 84,183 connections. This was the highest amount recorded in the company’s history.
The highest theft amounts were found in the Bhavnagar and Jamnagar circles, with significant theft also detected in Rajkot Rural. The company is working to recover these amounts, but the issue of power theft remains a critical challenge in Gujarat.
Authorities are urging consumers to be aware of the seriousness of power theft. They stress that stealing electricity is not only illegal but also harmful to the infrastructure. Regular inspections and strict actions are necessary to combat this growing problem.