An RTI activist has brought a Rs 100-cr solar project in Uttarakhand under scanner

Power department officials have not taken any action even though a Central government team found inconsistencies in the distribution of subsidy, says an RTI activist

New Delhi: A Right to Information (RTI) activist from the national capital filed a complaint to the chief secretary, requesting to register an FIR against government officials involved in financial misappropriation and massive irregularities in a 100-crore rupees project for the allotment of solar rooftop plants by the Uttarakhand Renewable Development Agency (UREDA). The power department officials, including UREDA, have not taken any action even though a Central government team found inconsistencies in the distribution of subsidy, activist Saleem Ahamad said.

Last year, a high-level probe found that the allotments for the project launched by the Union government were allotted to ineligible firms by UREDA officials.

"Based on my complaint to the Prime Minister's Office on the solar rooftop project subsidy scam, a central government team had in 2017 conducted a surprise inspection in 10 plants and found 70 % of the subsidy was given to ineligible projects. However, no action has been taken in this regard so far," Ahamad said.

Power secretary Radhika Jha says the Central government team would scrutinise the subsidy aspect of the entire project. "On the basis of the Central government report, I had filed chargesheet against two UREDA officials and further action will be taken in consultation with higher officials," she said.

The office of the chief secretary did not issue any follow-up instructions but acknowledged the complaint.