Cong seeks CAG audit of electricity duty waiver for JSW Ispat

Congress today claimed that the finance department had passed severe strictures on the decision to grant electricity duty waiver of Rs 572 crore to the JSW Ispat power company in Maharashtra.
The department even recommended a probe (audit) by the Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) of India, Congress spokesperson Sachin Sawant claimed.
State minister for new and renewable energy sources Chandrashekhar Bawankule said the decision of waiver was taken when Congress and NCP were in power.
Sawant, however, demanded a high-level probe.
"The decision to grant electricity duty waiver has now boomeranged on the electricity department as it was taken under pressure from powerful leaders in power sector," Sawant said.

After the news broke, the department stayed the earlier decision, he said.

"The government cannot absolve itself of responsibility by imposing a stay and must clarify on whose orders the decision was taken," the Congress spokesperson said.
The moment he sought information under the Right To Information Act on October 7, 2015, the department developed cold feet and on October 14 the decision was stayed, he said.
"On October 24 the energy department shockingly clarified that the decision was taken due to an oversight. The finance department on January 13 had passed severe strictures," Sawant said.
He further said that the law and judiciary department too had in its report noted that the energy department neither consulted it, nor did it take permission of the finance ministry.

"It is unimaginable that the energy department should not have the information about the concessions offered to a big company. An audit should be done through the CAG on the loss of revenue to the exchequer," Sawant demanded.