New Delhi: A political slugfest erupted between BJP and AAP on Thursday, with the former alleging irregularities in the power sector in the capital. AAP, however, claimed BJP had a “pre-set agenda” of gaining control over the resources and handing them over to “industrialist friends”.
Addressing a press conference, Delhi BJP president Virendra Sachdeva and New Delhi MP Bansuri Swaraj alleged “large-scale financial mismanagement” in two power distribution companies BSES Yamuna Power Limited and BSES Rajdhani Power Limited and demanded an audit of their accounts by CAG or a judicial investigation. A situation was created by Delhi govt and the two discoms that made the rise in tariffs “inevitable”, they added.
A joint venture between Reliance Infrastructure and Delhi govt, with the former having 51 Percent majority stake, the BJP functionaries alleged the two discoms had combined regulatory assets of over Rs 21,000 crore while they owed more than Rs 26,000 crore to Delhi govt-owned power generation companies.
“The two private companies have now approached SC seeking a set-off for these dues. If Delhi govt consents to any set-off, it will confirm all the irregularities in the discoms orchestrated by the parent company BSES over the past 10-11 years had the endorsement of Kejriwal govt,” Swaraj said, adding, “It would be legally, morally and commercially wrong, with the ultimate burden falling on consumers.”
TOI reported on Wednesday that Delhi govt was discussing a proposal to liquidate regulatory assets or accumulated tariff increase claims of Rs 27,200 crore of power discoms, including BSES Rajdhani and BSES Yamuna, which have not settled dues to Delhi generation and transmission companies for over a decade.
Sachdeva said the two discoms showed “significant losses” while a third – Tata Power Delhi Distribution Limited – operated “profitably” and paid dividends to Delhi govt. “The three discoms sell electricity at the same rate, procure it from identical sources and use the same Transco network for supply, yet only one of them consistently earns a profit while the other two incur losses,” he said, alleging the two companies disregarded licensing rules, but Delhi govt did not revoke their licences.
A source said the issues raised by BJP were pending in SC. DERC had recognised regulatory assets of all three discoms, he added. BSES discoms have regulatory assets of Rs 21,400 crore; TPDDL has Rs 5,800 crore.
AAP claimed if BJP was elected to power, electricity in Delhi would be as costly as in the states it governs. “Delhi govt is the only one in the country to give free and 24×7 electricity supply to residents. Over 22 lakh families receive zero electricity bills and 40 lakh domestic electricity consumers get subsidies. During peak summer, when the demand was at an all-time high, Delhi’s three discoms performed promisingly well. BJP has govt in 20 states. We challenge it to show one state where it provides free or 24×7 electricity,” AAP stated.
“BJP functionaries making fake claims should speak to CMs of their states to ensure non-stop power supply. In Gujarat and Assam, BJP govts introduced prepaid smart meters with exorbitant rates but had to withdraw them after public outrage,” it added.
