Ka seng NPP, ka la shah sangah tyngeh ha ka para khadduh jongka, ha kane ka kynti bad kata ka long, ba ki heh ka UDP, ki la ther tyngeh, ba katei ka seng, ka nang lum pisa na ka jylla bad ka leit theh pahuh pat sha Manipur bad sha kiwei ki jylla, na ka bynta ban pynkhlain, ia katei ka seng sha ki bynta jong ka thain shatei lam mihngi.
Halor katei ka jingkren jong ka UDP, ym don uwei ruh u heh NPP, uba nud ban saham, da kaba ong ba kin leit ejahar sha thanat pulit lane ba kin ther kylla, ia ki nongialam jong ka UDP; hynrei katei ka jingkren, ka long kaba donkam bha, namar ba ka UDP, ka dei ka seng kaba ia bam lang da kajuh ka pliang bad ka NPP bad kumta, ka tip kham bha lane ia jliah lang, ia ka lum pisa dewiong beain, nangta ia ka jing ia thied iing thied sem, thied jaka kaba la shyrkhei rem, da ki myntri sorkar bad sa kata ka jing ia kit pisa na ka jylla shabar.
Ka don ka mat, kaba kongsan bha hangne, namar ba ki heh NPP, kim nud ban sangah kylla, ia katei ka jing saham jong ka UDP, naba katei ka sobjek, ka dei kaba jnang bha ban iakren bad ba la don ki jingkynnoh harum haneng, ba ka NPP, ka la kit pisa da ki spah klur, tang ha Manipur bad lada ka long kumta, ka mih ka jingkylli, naei ka wan katei ka pisa bad ka donkam ia ka jingshai jong uba bun balang bad ngi khmih lynti, ba ki heh UDP ruh (kiba la kynnoh) ba kin nang kham sei shuh ia ki jingshisha.
Ym tang katta, ka don sa kawei pat ka jingkylli bad kata ka long, ba lada ka jia haduh katta, ba kane ka sorkar, ka leit kit lut ia ka pisa jongngi U Khasi, Jaintia sha Manipur, Arunachal bad shawei; kumta, ka la dei ka kam tuh kam thiem, kaba shyrkhei; te kumno pat, ba ki heh UDP, ki shu lah ban iai shah ban ia tap lang, da kajuh ka nep bad balei pat, ba kim ia pyllait sanshyieng noh shipor bad sa ia shong biang, hadien ka elekshon 2023, ba kin kham sngewjem mynsiem ki paidbah ia katei ka seng.
Ban pynkut, katei ka ishu, kam dei kaba rit, hynrei, haba ki heh UDP, ki la sdang, ngi khmih lynti, ba kan lah ban long, kum ka ding kaba klang ha u langiap, katba nang jan ka elekshon 2023.
TUR is happy that it’s campaign against big ticket corruption is coming to fruition.
Our old statement
https://highlandpost.com/tur-demands-james-resignation-over-brazen-looting-in-power-sector/
“Mr. James Sangma, Power Minister of Meghalaya should resign for presiding over Meghalaya’s biggest instance of financial irregularity till date. Rs. 450.75 crores has been gifted over to private companies.
Thma U Rangli-Juki (TUR) is shocked at the brazen loot in the power sector being presided over by the MDA government in Meghalaya. The shocking details of corruption in the implementation of Saubhagya, the central scheme for rural electrification and Smart Meter Project revealed in the media and by the concerned associations of MeECL must act as an eye opener for the citizens of the state about the crony capitalist business of the MDA government, an alliance of the National People’s Party, BJP, United Democratic Party, PDF and HSPDP, has been running.
Based on publicly available documents and news reports, TUR would like to place on record its quick analysis to show the Grandest Scam that Meghalaya has ever witnessed.
SAUBHAGYA
Saubhagya is a central scheme to ensure that every rural household in India is electrified. This scheme was an extension of Rajiv Gandhi Grameen Vidyutikaran Yojana (RGGVY) and Deendayal Upadhyaya Gram Jyoti Yojana. Under the watch of this government MeECL is the nodal organisation to implement this project. The contract to implement Saubhagya scheme for Khasi-Jaintia Hills (Eastern region) was awarded to Satnam Global Infra Projects Ltd, Delhi while for Garo Hills (Western region) the same was awarded to Onycon Enterprises, Mumbai.
Competitive bidding for these contracts was an eyewash and conditions were created so as to favour certain bidders. Moreover these contracts were based on bids which were on an average extortionately higher than the usual rates at which MeECL was procuring similar materials for other rural electrification schemes. Procurement of materials constituted 70% of the total project cost.
Just some example:
Cement bags which normally costs Rs. 360/bag was being procured for Rs. 857 (escalation of 138%).
Electricity poles 11900 is being procured at Rs. 17145(44%)
Transformers which normally cost 43500/88320 are being supplied at the rate of 1,06,086 /1,88, 598 (144%/113%).
This extortionate and corrupt pricing is across the board in procurement of the materials.
We feel therefore that on average the escalation has been between 90%-100%. And because work has also not been completed which means that we can easily assume 20% of the amount of the scheme lies with the suppliers.
Soubhagya Garo Hills (270 crores)
Materials -189 crores
Scam – 99.5 crores
Services – 81 crores
Scam – 54 Crores
Soubhagya Khasi – Jaintia Hills (255 crores)
Materials – 178.5 crores
Scam – 89.25 crores
Services – 76.5 crores
Scam – 51 Crores
Total Scam Amount = 51Crores+89.25 crores+54Crores+99.5crores= 293.75 crores
In the Assembly last year the Chief Minister defended the implementation of the scheme by stating that all the procedures were followed in the selection of implementing Companies namely Onycon and Satnam Global. Through what has been reported in the media and some of the papers about the decision which have been available in public domain about Soubhagya (A), it is clear that at every step of this contract one company, namely Satnam Global is being favoured. Same has also been alleged for Soubhagya(B).
Whatever may be the case, the onus is now on the government to be open to an independent investigation in these matters. We demand that the investigation in this regard has to be done by the CBI to fix responsibility as well as to recover the amount of Rs. 293.75 Crores from the favoured supplier/implementing corporation.
SMART METER PROJECT
Government has been smartly trying to sell the idea of smart meters for the consumers, as they claim the bill recovery can be more efficient and the discom can decrease its revenue losses. But the same government which is smart enough in its public relations lost all its smartness when it came to implementing the project.
There is a government of India scheme via which state discomms are being helped to replace their old meters by smart meters through a central PSU called EESL Energy Efficiency Service Limited where this programme is being implemented under the BOOT model on cost plus approach, which means all Capex/Opex is done by EESL and the states/ utilities are not required to invest upfront.
EESL has signed MoUs/Agreements for smart meters with the states of Andhra Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, Haryana, Bihar, NDMC-Delhi, Rajasthan, Telangana and for prepaid meters with the states of Uttar Pradesh and Tripura.
But our SMART government decides to take a loan of approx.. 230 crores from ADB to pay their favoured company Satnam Global to implement this project. Satnam Global which was the single bidder who managed to make a wrong bid and was still selected for installing these smart meters at the shocking rate of Rs. 9444 per meter for 207015 meters.
Shocking because EESL to implement its smart meter project has been procuring these meters for an average Rs 2700/meter. Even if we assume O&M and installation charges, Satnam Global, MDA government’s favoured company has quoted 3 times more than what EESL is offering in other states.
If one was being uncharitable one could say there is a scam of 100% in the Smart Meter Project, i.e of Rs. Rs. 233 crores. But even by charitable standards and industry benchmarks, per meter there is an escalation (scam) of Rs. 6444 meaning of Rs. 157 crores.
These are just two of the major schemes riddled with an obvious case of financial and administrative irregularity.
This ball-park estimation of financial irregularity of Rs.450.75 crores is clearly the biggest case of Financial impropriety our state has witnessed. Remember, that there are similar cases which are being reported about other projects in the power sector.
TUR therefore demands that:
1. Power Minister Mr. James Sangma must resign because it is under his watch that these financial irregularities have taken place.
2. CMD and Board of Directors of MeECL should be replaced with persons of impeccable integrity and administrative and financial acumen.
3. Immediate stoppage of the implementation of the schemes by Satnam Global and Onycon and non payment of their dues.
4. All the bid documents including LOAs should be put in the public domain under section 4 of the RTI Act 2005
5. We demand that an independent investigation overseen by CBI should be immediately instituted.
6. There should be protection of all whistle blowers who have tried to highlight this daylight robbery and deliberate attempt to make one of the states most prestigious public utilities fail. We demand that harrasment of officers in the form o transfers and suspensions as a result of them highlighting the anomalies and refusing to be part of this looting should immediately stop.”