New Delhi, July 5: Justice Satyendra Singh Chauhan (retd), who was appointed as the DERC chairman last month, took over charge formally on Thursday with his swearing-in.

The Delhi Electricity Regulatory Commission (DERC) Chairman's post had been lying vacant for over one and a half years.

Chauhan, who had served as a judge in the Allahabad High Court, was administered the oath by Power Minister Satyendar Jain, in the presence of Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia, and senior officials of the Power Department.

After the ceremony, Jain said that "this is for the first time in DERC history that a judge has been appointed as its chairman." Complimenting the DERC for its increasing efficiency, he hoped that the "current situation continues for the next five years too".

Congratulating Chauhan, Kejriwal said that this is the best period for the power sector as Delhi, in the whole country, is enjoying minimal power cuts and cheap electricity.

"Right now, the power sector in Delhi is going through its best period. With fewer power cuts, Delhi people are getting cheap electricity in the country. Moreover, the financial position of companies in this sector is also enhancing every day," he said.

He hoped that the "current situation of power sector remains the same in the future so that the government could come up with better services and policies".



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Bengaluru (PTI): To encourage the adoption of electric vehicles (EV), Bangalore Electricity Supply Company Limited (BESCOM) announced on Friday that a special EV fair will be organised for the Secretariat employees in January 2025.

During a meeting at the BESCOM office, Managing Director Mahantesh Bilagi said, "The fair is being organised following a directive of Chief Secretary Shalini Rajneesh and will be conducted under the supervision of Energy Minister K J George and Additional Chief Secretary of the Energy Department Gaurav Gupta."

According to him, the event aims to educate attendees about the benefits of environmentally friendly EVs and to encourage the adoption of two-wheeled EVs.

"During the fair, dealer discounts to government employees, particularly those in the Secretariat will also be offered. There will also be opportunities for practical demonstrations of the vehicles at the exhibition site," added Bilagi.

He said the Secretariat employees will also benefit from no down payment and low-interest loans to purchase the EV vehicles.

"EV companies are eager to participate and the sales will extend beyond the exhibition, continuing in the future," the Managing Director said.

The state, particularly Bengaluru, has the highest electric vehicle (EV) users, said Bilagi, adding that to support this, the Energy Department has provided essential infrastructure.

"BESCOM's efforts in promoting EV usage have been recognised with the 'Charge India 2024 Excellence' award. This award is a testament to our commitment to establishing excellent charging facilities. Karnataka has the country's most public electric vehicle charging stations, with a total of 5,765 stations, of which 4,462 are located in the Bengaluru Urban district," said Bilagi.

The Secretariat Employees' Association president Ramesh Sanga and other office-bearers, BESCOM Technical Director H J Ramesh as well as senior officials attended the meeting.