PM Modi’s Saubhagya Scheme opens ‘Bhagya’ of cheap companies in Assam

Guwahati, February 27, 2019:

A web of corruption is believed to have been discovered in the electricity department which has the possibility of affecting the lives of people in the rural areas in Assam in an adverse manner. Corruption has been discovered in the very highest levels of the department as unapproved and blacklisted meters have been supplied to households in the name of Pradhan Mantri’s ‘Saubhagya’ yojana.

As per sources, the Assam Power Distribution Company Limited (ADPCL) was procuring ‘single phase energy DLMS meters’ through qualified manufactures. After the launch of the ‘Saubhagya Scheme’ by the PM, a new tender was called by APDCL vide tender no. 18/7 in June 2018 for procurement of ‘single phase DLMS Meter’ under Gram Swaraj Abhiyan (GSA) and as such only 3 Companies were qualified and approved: L&T, Secure, and Genuis Meters.

As per the directives of the scheme, meters were to be provided to all poor and downtrodden households in the state by January 31, 2019. Citing that the approved companies were not able to provide the meters, the electricity department headed by Tapan Gogoi approached six other companies, among which were two blacklisted companies ‘HCL’ and ‘Capital’. It is being alleged by Congress leaders that the electricity board took this decision because of the lure of ‘commission’.

Addressing the media, Congress MLA from Mariani Rupjyoti Kurmi said: “They (the electricity department) are ordering meters from companies like HCL and Capital. They are supplying these blacklisted meters in the tea gardens and other poor areas to flex their muscles in the name of ‘Saubhagya’ scheme. Tapan Gogoi, Vinod Pipersenia and Rakesh Agarwal have nabbed as much as 100 crores in relation to this scheme.”