INDIA SUN SCANDAL

Rs 13k cr scam in national solar plan, claims CSE
February 2, 2012 (Times of India)

"In violation of norms laid down by the government, a single company, Lanco Infratech has allegedly cornered 40% of the contracts bid out for the first phase of the National Solar Mission, garnering 235 mw worth projects with assured revenue of Rs 13,000 crore over the next 25 years including a large subsidy that the consumers will end up paying…

"Delhi-based Centre for Science and Environment…released documents showing how the company allegedly created fronts to side-step the rules and win much more than the 105 mw worth contracts it was legally allowed to. [The head of the government’s responsible department said it will investigate in depth and no violation or deviation from norms will be tolerated]…"

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"The Jawaharlal Nehru National Solar Mission is meant to install 20,000 mw of grid-connected solar power by 2022. In its first phase, 1,000 mw worth of projects were to be bid out by 2013. In the first batch of the bidding process, 150 mw of solar PV plants and 470 mw of solar thermal power plants were bid out with no company (including its affiliates, subsidiaries etc) permitted to bid for more than 5 mw of solar PV and 100 mw of solar thermal each.

"…[Centre for Science and Environment said Lanco Infratech…floated front companies and grabbed no less than nine projects worth 235 mw. This is about 40% of the 620 mw worth of projects auctioned by the government during the first batch of the first phase of the Solar Mission…[It] gave details of how project reports of all projects were identical and the land agreements for the legally distinct and differently owned projects were signed with the government by one person - a Lanco employee. It claimed that seven more companies besides those shown as bidders had direct links with Lanco…"