The aggregate financial losses of state power distribution companies under the centre’s Ujwal Discom Assurance Yojana have reportedly declined by 21.5 per cent to reach Rs 402.95 billion in 2016-17. This decrease in losses has primarily been driven by lower interest costs for the discoms due to states taking over 75 per cent of their short-term liabilities. While discoms in Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Tamil Nadu and Maharashtra witnessed a drop in losses by 54 per cent, 14 per cent, 16 per cent, 35 per cent and 8 per cent respectively, the losses for discoms in Punjab, Jharkhand and Bihar have increased by 20 per cent, 72 per cent and 53 per cent respectively.