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Insulated cables to check power theft

— Photo: Lingaraj Panda

Energy Minister Suryanaryan Patro addressing district Collectors at the review meeting in Berhampur on Thursday.

BERHAMPUR: Insulated cables would be used for all new connections to provide electricity to families under rural electrification programs to put check on power theft, said State Energy Minister Surya Narayan Patro.

He attended a high-level meeting in the city on Thursday to review the progress of rural electrification programme in south Orissa under Biju Gramin Jyoti Yojana (BGJY) of the State Government and the Rajiv Gandhi Grameen Vidyutikaran Yojana (RGGVY) of the center. Collectors of 10 districts of south Orissa, State Energy Secretary Suresh Mohapatra and Revenue Divisional Commissioner (RDC), southern division, Satyabrata Sahu attended this meeting.

The stumbling blocks in the path of rural electrification under these two programmes were major points of discussion at this meeting. Discussions were also held on non-availability of Prestressed Cement Concrete (PCC) poles which had been responsible for slow progress of RGGVY. Under the RGGVY, the Rural Electrification Corporation (REC) has released 239.79 crores to NTPC, NHPC and PGCIL for the first phase rural electrification projects in Ganjam, Gajapati, Angul, Balasore, Jajpur and Puri.

Speaking to newsmen after the review meeting Mr Patro said during the current financial year around 4000 habitations and villages would be electrified. The BGJY was being taken up at habitats with a population of less than 100. At present work of the BGJY was on in 3,036 habitats of 238 blocks of the State. The BGJY was initiated by the State Government last year. Under this project Rs. 50 lakhs has been placed for utilisation for rural electrification work for every block.

The State Government has submitted project report for implementation of the RGGVY in all the 30 districts of the State to the REC. The total outlay for the State for implementation of the RGGGVY would be around Rs. 3,582.19 crores. In total the RGGVY would electrify 17,895 unelectrified or de-electrified villages and 31,85,863 BPL households.

Mr Patro said maintenance of this rural electrification programme would be taken up through community participation. Village groups would be responsible for checking power theft and collection of power dues, from which they would also get some commission. It was envisioned that all families in the State would get electricity by 2015.

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