Loss-Making UP Power Firms Paid Crores To Private Association; Probe Demanded

A huge dispute has started over why Uttar Pradesh's state-owned power companies, which are already losing money, paid more than Rs 1.30 crore in "membership fees" and "donations" to a private organization called the 'All India DISCOM Association'.

As soon as this information became public on Wednesday, electricity employee unions and the state's Consumer Council immediately criticized the Power Corporation's management for this spending.

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Consumer Group Files Complaint with Regulator

The state's Consumer Council has filed a petition with the Electricity Regulatory Commission (the government body that oversees power companies), demanding a full investigation.

In the complaint, the council's president, Avdhesh Kumar Verma, made a serious allegation: the current Chairman of the government's Power Corporation, Dr. Ashish Goyal, is also the General Secretary of the private association that received the money. Verma claims this is a clear misuse of his official position. Not only that, but the former head of the Power Corporation, Alok Kumar, is the Director-General of the same private association.

The petition strongly argues that it is unconstitutional to donate crores of rupees—collected from consumers through their electricity bills—to a private group. It calls for the entire matter to be investigated by the CBI.

The complaint also revealed that on June 3rd, the Power Corporation and its five sister companies together paid Rs 1,30,80,000 to the association, with each company paying Rs 21,80,000. This payment was allegedly made without getting permission from the Regulatory Commission. The council has asked how public-sector companies can donate public money to a private body. They have urged the commission to ensure this cost is not passed on to consumers in their bills and that action is taken against the officials responsible.

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When asked about this controversy, the Power Corporation Chairman, Dr Ashish Kumar Goyal, refused to make any comment.

Employee Committee Asks Chief Minister for High-Level Probe

The Electricity Employees Joint Struggle Committee has written a letter to Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, demanding a high-level investigation into the matter. Citing a clear "conflict of interest," the committee said that Chairman Ashish Goyal should either be forced to resign from his post at the private association or be removed from his job as Chairman of the Power Corporation.

The committee also provided a specific breakdown of the payment, showing the Power Corporation paid Rs 11.8 lakh for membership (including GST) and a separate Rs 10 lakh as a donation.