The Comptroller and Auditor General of India has begun the audit of three power discoms in the Capital. On Monday, officials of the CAG visited the offices of the discoms to be apprised about their accounts and documents. After the scope of the audit was finalised last week, this was the first discussion that the CAG and the power companies had.
“Two officials each, on behalf of the CAG, were sent to the BSES Rajdhani and Yamuna Power limited and the Tata Power Delhi. The scope of the audit was discussed at length and doubts which the discoms had were cleared. The discom officials also explained the CAG officers about the different segments that constitute a distribution company,” said an official in the power department. The three firms were given the terms of reference (ToR) for the audit last week. The CAG audit will focus on five issues: capital investments, billing, gains from reducing aggregate technical and commercial (AT&C) losses, and sale and purchase of power and regulatory assets from the time the companies were set up in 2002. The discoms said the Government has sent them a list of documents required for the audit.
The Delhi High Court on Friday had refused to stay the Delhi Government’s order for a CAG audit of the national Capital’s three power discoms’ finances since their inception. However, the CAG was asked not to reveal its findings until the next hearing slated for March 19. The court had also issued notice to the Delhi Government and CAG to file their detailed response on the petitions filed by the discoms alleging that the audit order was passed by the Government with a ‘predetermined mind’.