New Delhi, Jan 1 (IANS) The AAP-led Delhi government Wednesday fulfilled yet another poll promise of getting the financials of power distribution companies audited by the Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) of India.
Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal told reporters here: “The audit will begin from tomorrow (Thursday).” He added that Delhi Lt. Governor Najeeb Jung has ordered the CAG to start looking into the company account books of discoms from Thursday.
The auditing of three power distribution companies – BSES Yamuna Power Ltd., BSES Rajdhani Power Ltd. and Tata Power Delhi Distribution Ltd. – was one of the major poll planks of the Aam Adami Party, which has alleged fudging of account books by the companies to show losses as a pretext to hike tariff.
“What the government could not achieve in the past four years… we did it in four days,” Kejriwal told reporters, referring to the previous Congress government which, the AAP has alleged, was in collusion with the discoms.
Kejriwal said he requested CAG Shashi Kant Sharma to do the audit in three months but Sharma said it depends on the “cooperation” of power distribution companies.
The decision came a day after the government introduced 50 percent subsidy in the electricity bills for those households which consume up to 400 units of power a month.
Asked what were the objections raised by the power distribution companies, Kejriwal said there was no reason for not getting their accounts audited.
The Delhi government gave the three companies time till Wednesday to give their views on why there should not be a CAG audit of their account books.
Kejriwal expressed hope that after the audit, there would be no need for subsidy.
On Wednesday, the chief minister agreed that slashing electricity rates through subsidy was not a sustainable solution.
“This is not a sustainable way. That is why an audit is needed. This is just to give some relief to the people till a long-term solution is found,” he said.
Kejriwal Tuesday met the CAG to seek an audit of three power distribution companies in the capital.