CAG report raps Rajasthan on 'power ploy' and eco blight

The report of the Comptroller and Auditor General of India, for the year ended March 31, 2017, on Economic Sector Departments of the Government of Rajasthan, was placed on the Assembly table on Tuesday.

According to the report on performance audit relating to Jaipur Vidyut Vitran Nigam Ltd on procurement and inventory management, it was noticed that the meters supplied by the firms - Genus Power Infrastructure Ltd and Genus Innovation Ltd - had passed the prescribed tests at different stages of tender.

However, peculiar deficiencies were observed in the meters supplied, with regard to recording of consumption energy. The memory register of the meter failed to record the consumption of energy after a certain point of reading and whenever there was any interruption in supply, the meters automatically reversed to that point of reading at which it became defective, The meter, thus, failed to record due to supple failure.

However, JVVNL did not remove the defective meters procured at cost of Rs 28.96 crore and was incurring losses due to non-recording of energy consumed by the customers.

The report further pointed out that, the committee formed to examine the justification for installing prepaid meters observed that the meters were of obsolete technology for which an amount of Rs 12.21 crore (JVVNL only) was spent. Further, JVVNL was also unable to install the same.

Furthermore, despite several complaints of the superintending Engineer (O&M), JVVNL did not take any action against the inspecting authority which certified the quality of material, based on which the material was accepted. This had led to breaking down of electricity poles due to use of less quantity of wires.

The investigating committee of the case had reported that the damaged poles could not be located at site of in the stores. Further, no steel parts of the poles were available at any site, meaning, someone had intentionally dismantled the poles.

NO ACTION PLANS

In case of National Capital Region area or non-attainment cities of the state, no action plans were submitted by the concerned department/authority resultantly directions issued by Central Pollution Control board could not be monitored by RSPCB and most of the actions by the CPCB could not be initiated.

SC VIOLATION 

Supreme Court violations were observed as mining leases falling in Aravalli mountain range were granted and renewed. Besides, the Ministry of Environment and Forest also granted Environmental clearance for mining lease despite the area falling under the aravalli hill range.

AIR QUALITY 

As of March 2017, only 32 Ambient Air Quality Monitoring Stations and two Continuous Ambient Air Quality Monitoring Stations were operating in six districts while 27 districts having 47.03 million population and 74,50 lakh vehicles were still out of the purview of air quality monitoring.

NO CONSENT ORDER

All units of Kota Super Thermal Power Station (KSTPS) and Chhabra Thermal Power Plant (CTPP) were operating without obtaining consent to operate/renewal of consent to operate which was the violation of provision of the Air Act.

In seven stone crusher units in Udaipur, Suspended Particulate Matter (SPM) level had exceeded the prescribed limits (600 ug/m3), and ranged between 2286 and 4685 ug/m3. However, the Regional Officer renewed CTO without ensuring adherence to the norms as no further sample analysis report was found on record.

Out of 45 working PSUs, 16 undertakings incurred loss of Rs 2,808 cr in State

PSU woes in Raj

Almost every third public sector undertaking (PSU) in Rajasthan incurred losses during the year 2016-17, a CAG report said today. Out of 45 working PSUs, 16 undertakings incurred loss of Rs 2,808.01 cr.

Six PSUs had no profit or loss, stated the report which was tabled in the Rajasthan Assembly today. As per the Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) report, 12 PSUs incorporated during 2006-07 to 2016-17 did not commence their business activities till 2016-17. The purpose behind incorporating these PSUs was therefore defeated and the government should take appropriate action with this regard, it said. The CAG audit report for the year ended on March 31, 2016 also highlighted that 23 PSUs earned profit of Rs 1,193 cr and the top profit making companies were Rajasthan Rajya Vidyut Utpadan Nigam Limited (Rs 351.80 cr) and Rajasthan State Industrial Development and Investment Corporation Limited (Rs 349.58 cr) apart from others. The capital investment and accumulated losses of the state PSUs as per their latest finalised accounts were Rs 41,465.19 cr and 1,01,241.75 cr respectively.

Analysis of investment and accumulated losses disclosed that net worth was eroded in 19 out of 48 PSUs. The quality of accounts of PSUs needs improvement. There were 30 instances of non-compliance with accounting standards by the PSUs, the report stated. The CAG report recommended streamlining the process of assessment of requirement of material, finalisation of tenders with prescribed time limit, strengthening inspection and testing procedures and conducting physical verification at specified intervals.