Jaipur discom loses Rs 12 crore for scheme violations

Jaipur's electricity distribution company, known as discom, has lost Rs 12 crore due to failing to follow the rules of the Saubhagya scheme. This information comes from a report by the Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG), released recently. The Saubhagya scheme was started by the Indian government to provide electricity to homes in remote villages. These areas are often too difficult or expensive to reach with traditional power lines. The scheme allows for solar power plants with a capacity of 200-300 watt peak (WP). The central government provides a grant of 60%, while the state and the power company cover the rest of the costs. However, Jaipur discom did not follow these guidelines correctly. Instead of using the proper size for the solar panels, it ordered smaller systems of 100 WP from the Rajasthan Renewable Energy Corporation (RRECL) without seeking necessary approvals. Initially, the company planned to electrify 8,758 homes with these smaller systems at a cost of Rs 18,250 each. By March 2019, RRECL had installed 6,573 systems of 100 WP capacity. Jaipur discom requested Rs 12 crore in grants from the Rural Electrification Corporation (REC) for these installations. However, REC rejected the request because of the violation of the guidelines. Other discoms were able to receive their grants, but Jaipur discom had to pay the full installation cost due to its rule-breaking actions. CAG noted that beneficiaries missed out on greater benefits from the scheme.