BJP blames inexperienced official for Mahagenco cost overruns

Maharashtra BJP today alleged that appointment of an "inexperienced" official to a senior position in the state-owned power generation company Mahagenco led to project cost escalations by Rs 8,616 crore.
"C S Thotwe (Director-Projects) of Mahagenco, who was appointed to the post in 2009, did not have any prior experience in power generation projects," state BJP spokesperson Madhav Bhandari said here.
"The energy minister should clarify why such a person was appointed."
It is the state government's policy to delay power projects so that the energy needs have to be met from private sector and by getting power from other states, Bhandari alleged.

In 2011, the then Union Power Secretary had written to the state chief secretary over delay in completion of power projects in Maharashtra, he said.
The scam in the power sector will leave the one in the irrigation sector far behind, the BJP spokesperson added.