With many different religious, ethnic and social groups, the Republic of India is a unique and diverse state. Since its independence, India has faced the challenge of encouraging the diverse populations living within its borders to embrace and celebrate a common Indian identity, while nurturing their distinct cultures and traditions. This diversity is reflected in the social and political challenges of Indian society. Even if the different Länder have a certain margin of maneuver to adapt to the heterogeneity of the population, the central government retains great power to maintain the unity of the nation. As India has developed, one of its priorities has been the energy sector and improving Indian citizens' access to electricity. The government has always had great influence over India's vital power sector. Electricity is a concurrent subject under the Constitution, falling under both the central and state governments. Whether by influencing the electricity sector through private companies collaborating with the central government or by acting directly through public companies and bureaucracies, India has maintained a large degree of centralized control in the electricity sector. Since the passage of the Energy Conservation Act of 2001, the government has pursued a national policy to increase independence and access to electricity in India. In order to achieve these goals, India has used state-owned enterprises and bureaucratic institutions to maintain direct control over the sector. However, the Electricity Act of 2003 reformed India's electricity policy, allowing more privatization of the power sector and less paper......ar, Shailesh. “UP farmers continue to protest land acquisition by Reliance.” Down to earth. Np, February 15, 2007. Web. May 11, 2014. “Land Acquisition, Rehabilitation and Resettlement Bill.” » StudyMode.com, January 1, 2014. Web. May 11, 2014. Mona Sur and Dina Umali-Deininger, “Public Expenditures and Subsidies in Indian Surface Irrigation: Who Benefits,” paper presented at Water Week 2003, World Bank conference, Washington, DC, March 4-6 2003. Web. May 15, 2014. Tongia, Rahul. "The political economy of Indian energy sector reforms", pp. 109-174 in: DG Victor and TC Heller, (eds.) 2007, Reforming electric power markets in developing countries: policy, law and institutions. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. March 2007. The web. May 11, 2014. United Nations. “Population and Vital Statistics Report.” January 1, 2013. the web. Can 15, 2014.