Farmers in Indapur who applied for solar agricultural pumps under the KUSUM scheme are reportedly being targeted by callers posing as Maharashtra State Electricity Distribution Company Limited (MSEDCL) officials or wiremen, with some allegedly obtaining one-time passwords (OTPs) and changing applicants’ selected solar companies without their consent.
The reported fraud involves calls made in the name of MSEDCL after farmers submit applications for solar pumps. The callers allegedly seek OTPs under the pretext of completing application verification. Once the OTP is shared, applicants’ company preferences are reportedly changed online without their knowledge or approval.
The incident was reported by Sakal – Pune on October 14, with a case involving Pradeep Abasaheb Gurgude, a farmer from Babhulgaon in Indapur taluka. According to the report, Gurgude received a call in the name of a company and later found that a different solar company had been selected for his application without his consent.
The report said that several farmers remain occupied with agricultural work and may not immediately notice changes made to applications in their names. The alleged use of phone-based verification creates a risk for applicants who may believe they are speaking to an electricity-distribution official or an authorised representative.
Gurgude said he would complain to the senior office about the matter. Deepak Gurgude of Babhulgaon also called for action against the companies and agents allegedly involved, cancellation of incorrect company selections made without farmers’ consent, and an opportunity for affected applicants to choose a company themselves.
The KUSUM solar agricultural pump scheme involves applications by farmers for solar-powered irrigation pumps. In this case, the reported dispute concerns the integrity of the application and vendor-selection process rather than the installation of a pump. The allegations therefore raise questions about how applicant identity, OTP-based consent and company selection are being handled in the scheme’s digital workflow.
The report said an attempt was made to contact MSEDCL for its response, but the company could not be reached. No official confirmation of the alleged fraud, the number of affected farmers or action against any company or agent was available in the supplied report.
The immediate demands from farmers are that MSEDCL investigate the reported unauthorised selections, identify the callers and agencies involved, and restore applicants’ ability to select their preferred solar company. Until an official response is issued, farmers applying under the scheme should not share OTPs with callers claiming to represent MSEDCL or any solar company.
