Tangedco shifts to cloud computing to speed up Aadhaar linking for TNEB users

The hiccups faced by Tangedco officials in linking Aadhaar numbers with power connections may be solved as the discom has moved to cloud computing and is planning to use Elcot (Electronics Corporation of Tamil Nadu) servers for the purpose.

With more people coming forward to link their electricity connections with Aadhaar, the shift to cloud computing will ensure more server space, faster linking of Aadhaar and prevent jamming of servers, officials said.

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The Tamil Nadu Generation and Distribution Corporation (Tangedco) is racing towards meeting the target of linking Aadhaar numbers with power connections by the end of December. However, after facing issues on the front from various counters and individuals, the discom urgently moved to cloud computing.

“Our website is on cloud computing and to increase the number of people linking Aadhaar with power connection, we are also using the Elcot servers. With this, the problems we faced in linking will come to an end, a senior Tangedco official said.

Surprising response

The official said the response of consumers, who are availing subsidies, to link their power connection with Aadhaar has been very good. “We did not expect so many people to come forward immediately to link their Aadhaar number with the power connection. So far 33 lakh have linked,” said the official.

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In Tamil Nadu, there are a total of 2,66,60,159 consumers who receive subsidies. Of this, 2,31,65,225 are domestic consumers who receive the first 100 units for free. Similarly, there are 74,697 handloom weavers who have to link their power connections with Aadhaar. There are a total of 1.62 lakh power loom connections while 9.51 lakh hutments also get subsidy and all these consumers are supposed to link their Aadhaar numbers with their power connections.

As per the GO issued by the government, there are a total of 23.06 lakh agricultural connections, and all of them are required to get linked to Aadhaar.

“We have employed a total of 2,811 employees from various wings of Tangedco to help customers with the linking process. These officials are in charge of counters in Tangedco offices and will be working to link till the last consumer,” said the official.

Subsidy will not be stopped

State power minister Senthil Balaji has repeatedly assured that there is no plan to stop the subsidy and wanted all consumers to link their Aadhaar with their electricity connection.

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“There is no plan to stop the subsidy at all. We asked the consumers who get subsidies to link their Adhaar only after the Centre ordered us to do the same. There has been similar linking of ration cards where people get subsidies,” said the official.

A total of ₹12,000 crore is the subsidy which the state government provides to Tangedco under various subsidy head.