Discoms fail to monetise their assets, lose crores

Jaipur: Despite deep financial distress, Rajasthan’s discoms are losing out on crores as they fail to monetise their assets. State electricity regulator has pulled up discoms for not collecting rentals from cable and telecom operators using the electric poles for giving connections to households. The regulator said that against charges of Rs 3,543 per pole in 2021-22, Jaipur discom in the city circle recovered only Rs 1,840. For the whole Jaipur district, the collection was even worse, at Rs 108 per pole.Stakeholders said many farmhouses and marriage gardens on the outskirts are paying charges as agriculture connections, even though they run commercial operations.Analysis of data provided to stakeholder DP Chirania through RTI showed the three discoms of Jaipur, Ajmer, and Jodhpur had lost revenues of Rs 65 crore during the past three years from 2021-22.In his comments on discoms' replies on the revenue collection from poles, Chirania said the data from 2015 to 2021 have intentionally not been disclosed to hide the large-scale corruption.In some of the circles, the number of poles is shown as less than that of the previous years. Such a situation indicates that the previous year’s poles have not been taken into consideration in the next year. In fact, the rent has to be charged for every financial year at the rate applicable for that year, he reasoned. There are also circles where no amount has been collected from a large number of poles. For example, out of the total 81,482 poles in Ajmer, demand notice was issued only for 22,905 poles, and the amount deposited was only for 6,140 poles. Non-recovery of rental revenues was found across the state, as per comments filed by Chirania before the regulator (RERC).DD Agarwal, director at Samta Power, an NGO in the power sector, said, “It’s just not the revenues from the poles, the discoms are also losing money from commercial units which are paying agriculture rates. There should be a survey to find out how many farmhouses and marriage gardens on the city outskirts are paying electricity charges as agriculture connections.”In fact, agriculture connections pay no money up to 2,000 units as the govt provides subsidies. The commission in its tariff order said it has taken the non-compliance and casual attitude of discoms seriously. It directed the CMD and MDs of each discom to report to it in 30 days, stating why discoms have not complied with the commission’s order and also take action against erring employees.
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