Contradictions seen in CAG report on 7-hr power supply

There appears to be a contradiction in the findings of the Comptroller and Auditor General on free power supply to the agricultural sector by the Discoms.

In its report, the CAG said that Discoms have not ensured power supply for seven hours a day to all agricultural feeders though the state government paid the subsidy during 2011-12 to 2015-16.

At the same time, CAG said that the Discoms were supplied more power to agricultural sector in the same period but they did not claim the subsidy from the government.

The CAG said that the Northern Power Distribution Company has failed to adhere to the agricultural sales volumes approved by the state Electricity Regulatory Commission in the tariff orders and also did not claim from the government the cost of additional units supplied to agricultural consumers, resulting in loss of `1,077.27 crore during 2011-12 to 2015-16.

The CAG said during 2011 to 2015, the ERC approved 19,802.91 MU supply for agricultural sector, but the actual supply was 22,271.05 MU. For excess supply of 2,468.14 MU, the NPDCL did not claim subsidy to the tune of `1,077.27 crore the report said.

In the another paragraph, the CAG said that the NPDCL did not ensure supply for seven hours a day to all agricultural feeders and the government also had not monitored the supply, though the subsidy was paid for supply of electricity for seven hours a day.

The report said that supply was less than six hours a day to a majority of the feeders in many circles. It said out of the subsidy of `8,237.63 crore paid by the government during 2011- 2016, about `1176.80 crore or 1/7 of the subsidy was not spent on fulfilment of the objective of the government of supplying free power for seven hours a day to the agricultural consumers.