New Delhi, Aug 5 (PTI) The Centre has issued a showcause notice to Delhi's former additional chief secretary Satya Gopal for allegedly providing "undue benefit" to two discoms in the city by changing a proposal related to the payment of subsidy, officials said on Saturday.

According to a memorandum issued last month by the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA), the two private discoms -- BSES Rajdhani Power Limited (BRPL) and BSES Yamuna Power Limited (BYPL) -- owed Rs 16,887 crore to three government power companies up to March 31, 2021.

Also Read | Kargil Council Election 2023: 26 Seats of Ladakh Autonomous Hill Development Council on September 10.

The document said a draft note of the Delhi Cabinet was prepared by the power department to directly release the 100 per cent of the subsidy of the BRPL and BYPL discoms in the first quarter of 2021-22 to government power companies to reduce the outstanding amount.

However, Gopal allegedly changed the proposal, which was already approved by Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal and accepted by the Finance Department of the Delhi government, the MHA note said.

Also Read | Karnataka Shocker: Woman Killed Over Property Dispute in Devanahalli; Son, Daughter-in-Law Arrested.

"Satya Gopal, then Addl. Chief Secretary (Power), GNCTD, in contravention to the approval of Chief Minister, Delhi, circulated the Cabinet Note with a different proposal to release 50 percent subsidy of 1st quarter of FY 2021-2022 directly to BSES Rajdhani Power Limited (BRPL) and BSES Yamuna Power Limited (BYPL).

"It was also extended in subsequent quarters of 2021-22, which resulted in the undue benefit to the tune of Rs 1149.04 Crores to these private companies during the year 2021- 2022," said the MHA memorandum.

Gopal, a retired 1987-batch IAS officer currently holding the post of chairperson of Real Estate Regulatory Authority(RERA) in Punjab, could not be contacted despite repeated attempts. No immediate reaction was available from BRPL and BYPL also.

The MHA said Gopal has failed to maintain absolute integrity and exhibited lack of devotion to duty, and acted in a manner unbecoming of a government servant.

The memorandum directed Gopal to state reasons within 15 days from the date of its receipt "as to why disciplinary proceedings should not be initiated against him for the aforesaid act of misconduct."

It added in case no response was received from Gopal, it will be presumed that the officer has nothing to submit and action as per law will be taken against him.

(The above story is verified and authored by Press Trust of India (PTI) staff. PTI, India’s premier news agency, employs more than 400 journalists and 500 stringers to cover almost every district and small town in India.. The views appearing in the above post do not reflect the opinions of LatestLY)