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CAG is angry with top babus for not reining in discoms

The Comptroller Auditor General (CAG) of India Shashi Kant Sharma is annoyed. He has raised serious questions over the functioning of top bureaucrats of Delhi government for not playing the role of facilitator ‘effectively’ despite having 49 per cent share in the power DISCOMs. In a confidential letter to the Lieutenant Governor Najeeb Jung, now in possession of Millennium Post, Sharma has expressed his disappointment over non-cooperation of Tata Power Delhi Distribution Limited (TPDDL) and BSES Yamuna Power in providing relevant records – ‘in the absence of which audit scrutiny cannot be completed,’ his letter reads.

The letter bearing DO NO.333 /NR /Delhi/DISCOMs/2-2014 was written by Sharma to LG on 16 June where he said officials engaged on the audit of DISCOMs cannot wait for indefinite period for crucial records required for the audit as per order of the Supreme Court.

Sharma’s letter addressing to LG reads, ‘I am sure you will agree with me that in the case of entrustment of such audits, the implicit understanding is the role of government being the facilitator for audit to perform its functions.’

He wrote, ‘I understand that the government of Delhi is having 49 per cent of share in the equity of each of three DISCOMs and senior officers including Chief Secretary, Principal Secretary (Finance) and Principal Secretary (Power) are directors on the Board of these companies. Yet the managements of DISCOMs are not responding positively and in a timely manner.’

‘It seems that the representatives of the Delhi government have not been able to play the role of facilitator effectively. They should have monitored the production of records as regular agenda item in every board meeting and made the CEOs of the companies accountable for the same. You will appreciate that my audit resources cannot be committed on this project for an indefinite period,’ his letter reads.

Sharma has also requested Jung to issue a directive to the Chief Secretary to ensure records and information against the exiting pendency at the earliest with a fixed date line. He has also requested the Governor to fix a time frame of ‘seven days’ before the Chief Secretary in arranging all the pending documents of the DISCOMs (which they have not provided) from the date of the issue of further audit requisitions in future.

It was learnt the percentage of pending information and records sought from the DISCOMs is 51 per cent in terms of TPDDL and 33 per cent in case of BSES Yamuna Power. Sharma claimed that the pendency of records is quite significant as it involves crucial and relevant records and in absence of which audit scrutiny cannot be completed.

He has also criticised the DISCOMs for the repeated non-cooperation and their ignorant attitude towards CAG in providing documents despite being ordered by SC. He has also hinted that if they (DISCOMs) are not bothered about the instruction of the apex court of India, then their attitude towards the CAG could be well understand.

A Raj Niwas source quoting Sharma’s letter further reads, ‘In fact, negligible records have been produced for the period of 2002-03 and 2006-07. Further, TPDDL has already expressed its inability to produce Energy Audit Reports, Internal Audit Reports and minutes of the Audit committee and date relating to billing prior to the period of FY 2011.’
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