Is the Scindia royal family getting subsidized electricity?
Questions arise over electricity consumption and bills at the Scindia royal family's Jai Vilas Palace.
The Jai Vilas Palace of the Scindia royal family in Gwalior is under scrutiny regarding electricity consumption and bills. The news agency ‘The Sootr’ has claimed in its investigation that several electricity connections in the palace complex recorded zero or very low consumption over the past year. According to the report, there are at least 21 connections in the complex, most of which have old meters.
The main question raised in this investigation is whether the connections associated with the Scindia family are benefiting from the Atal Grih Jyoti Yojana. According to ‘The Sootr’,
Jai Vilas Palace spans approximately 80 acres and has 400 rooms. The complex includes the Queen's Palace, a museum, Usha Kiran Palace Hotel, and other sections. The report clarifies that no claims are being made regarding the electricity bill of the Usha Kiran Palace Hotel, which operates under the Taj Group and has a separate high-tension connection and bill.
It is mentioned that a smart meter is installed at the Queen's Palace, where the Scindia family resides. According to the report, a total of 360.389 units were consumed on this connection over the past 12 months.
A connection registered in the name of Mahadji Charitable Trust is claimed to have recorded zero unit consumption continuously from October 2025 to September 2026. This is a domestic, three-phase connection. The report states that despite regular readings and bill issuance, no electricity consumption was recorded throughout the year. During this period, a total bill of ₹1,006 was issued, which has been described as other charges. An old meter from the Elimer company is installed here.
This domestic connection is for electricity and fans. It is claimed that there has been zero unit consumption on this connection for all 12 months from October 2025 to September 2026.
The situation is different for the connection registered in the name of the Chief Secretary to His Highness Maharaja. This single-phase connection, registered at the address of Vijaya Bhawan, has an approved load of one kilowatt. The report mentions that 2,016 units were consumed during the period from November 2025 to October 2026. The total outstanding amount is ₹14,777, of which ₹14,686 is the previous amount. The last payment date is recorded as October 14, 2026.
A commercial connection registered in the name of ‘THE SUPDT’ in the palace garden is claimed to have consumed only five units in a year. This three-phase connection, installed in July 1980, has an approved load of three kilowatts. This figure is based on bills for the period from October 2025 to September 2026. It is also mentioned that an old meter is installed here.
Vasundhara Raje Charitable Trust has a connection registered in the name of ‘The Secretary’ that is reported to have consumed 2,764 units during the same period. This is a commercial, three-phase connection with an approved load of five kilowatts. According to the report, the bill amount for August 2026 was ₹471, and the previous outstanding amount was ₹24,687. The date of the relevant bill is mentioned as September 8, and the last payment date is September 18, 2026.
A domestic connection registered in the name of Mannu Mahal Palace is claimed to have recorded zero unit consumption from October 2025 to September 2026. This three-phase connection, installed in January 1980, has an old Elimer meter. The report states that the last payment date for the bill in September 2026 is written as September 2021. This discrepancy regarding the date needs to be clarified with the original bill.
It is also stated that a connection registered at the address of Junior Maharani Sweet House recorded zero unit consumption over the year. This domestic, single-phase connection with an approved load of one kilowatt has a total annual bill of ₹1,322. Meanwhile, a connection registered in the name of MP Singh Secretary reported only two units consumed and an annual bill of ₹957. Its approved load is three kilowatts.
The report mentions that for the connection in the name of Hiranwan Kothi, PRO, HS Pachauri, the consumption over 12 months is only one unit, while the total bill amount is ₹6,700. The figures provided in the report raise questions about the status of the meters, actual usage, and the billing process. However, the report from The Sootr did not include discussions with either party regarding the electricity connections in the name of the Scindia royal family.