CHANDIGARH: Vidyut Karamchari Samyukta Sangharsh Samiti has sent a letter to Union Power Minister Manohar Lal Khattar demanding action against the former power secretary for misusing his official position and running a parallel government by the All India Discom Association (AIDA).
The Sangharsh Samiti in a press note has alleged that the Discom Association is collecting huge donations from the state power distribution corporations, across the country and running a parallel Government. Samiti has demanded that AIDA officials should either leave the association or resign from administrative posts to transparency in administrative posts.
According to the Sangharsh Samiti, this is a serious matter of misuse of power and conflict of interests. The AIDA officials should either leave the association or resign from administrative posts. This will maintain transparency in administrative posts. The state Discoms should be asked not to donate money to this private association.
The Sangharsh Samiti said that former Power Secretary to the Government of India Alok Kumar is the director of AIDA. He is sending letters to the chairman and managing directors of the country's power distribution corporations, citing his post as former Union Power Secretary asking for donations.
Alok Kumar Director AIDA in his letter of August 1 to the electricity distribution companies claimed that 39 private and state Discoms have already taken membership of the association and requested other Discoms to become members of the Association.
V K Gupta said that the AIDA letter lists 10 types of facilities to members for taking membership such as free legal assistance, exchange of purchase orders , seminars , sharing technical information etc. The first point in the letter mentions the lure of participation in international study tours for which AIDA provides international airfare and hotel accommodation support .
The Sangharsh Samiti has termed this as misuse of position. It may be mentioned that AIDA was formed in a meeting held in Lucknow in November 2024 with the sponsorship by several private companies . In the meeting, Maharashtra Vidyut Vitran Nigam Chairman Lokesh Chandra was named the President of AIDA and Uttar Pradesh Power Corporation Limited Chairman Ashish Goyal was named General Secretary. The Managing Director of a private company was made the Treasurer and Alok Kumar was made the Director General.
The Struggle Committee said that the participation of officers occupying high managerial positions in the state Discoms is an objectionable and serious matter.