After PM's electrification claim proved wrong, Modi govt deflects blame on UP govt now

Centre issues notice to UP for fudging data on rural electrification

Just two days after Prime Minister Narendra Modi referred to Nagela Fatela as a shining example of his government’s focus on “delivery” to the poor, the sleepy little village, which is 300 km from Delhi, has become the centre of a row between the Union power ministry and the Uttar Pradesh government. While electricity continues to elude the village, which is contrary to Modi’s claim that electricity has reached it after 70 years, the power ministry has issued a showcause notice to the Uttar Pradesh government’s power utility, accusing the latter of misuse of central grants and supporting illegal power supply.

Rural Electrification Corporation (REC) has shot off a letter to Dakshinanchal Vidyut Vitran Nigam Limited (DVVNL), asking it to respond on the status of energisation — infrastructure and supply — of the village, which falls in its jurisdiction.

“I don’t know how much liberty I have under the federal structure to take any action against a state utility. But this is prima facie a case of misappropriation of central grants. The state misled the Centre, and the local authorities are supporting illegal connections. The state’s ministers are politicising the issue,” Piyush Goyal, minister of state for coal, power, renewable energy and mines, told reporters. Uttar Pradesh is bound for elections next February. Business Standard had reported earlier the focus of the Bharatiya Janata Party’s election campaign would be infrastructure development, particularly rural electrification.

REC in its letter to DVVNL pointed out that illegal connection with a transformer was a violation of Section 135(1) of the Indian Electricity Act. Sanjay Agarwal, principal secretary, energy, Uttar Pradesh, did not respond to text messages and phone calls on Wednesday. “You are hereby requested to file a detailed clarification on the above points within three days. You may also clarify why if the infrastructure work had been completed, as certified on October 30, 2015, as reported by DVVNL, no connection so far been released to households, including BPL households, and the infrastructure remained unutilised after spending public money, including the government of India grant. In case your reply is not received within three days, action as deemed appropriate will be initiated,” said the letter dated August 17.

Nagela Fatela village in Hathras, Uttar Pradesh Photo: Dalip Kumar

The letter of sanction mentioned that REC approved the detailed project report and the cost of electrification for Hathras district in January 2014. Besides, it also approved sanctions totalling Rs 105 crore for below-the-poverty line households in the district.

The project in Hathras was tendered to a private contractor by the state government the same year. In October 2015, the state government informed REC and the ministry of power that electrification of seven districts encompassing 155 villages, including Nagela Fatela, was concluded.

A report submitted by DVVNL to REC said work was completed in Nagela Fatela. The report attached a detailed map of four transformers of 25 kilovolt (kV) each and one of 63 kV, a main 11 kV supply line across the village, and LT lines to be connected with households. REC executives said when they visited the village last October it was receiving close to 60 per cent power supply. Under the GARV programme for rural electrification, Gram Vidyut Abhiyantas (GVAs) visit villages and monitor electrification work. This is, in turn, shows up on the GARV website and mobile application launched with much aplomb in October by Goyal. When GVAs visited the village in October they found the necessary infrastructure in place. “March was the last time any GVA visited the village and found some 80 households without power. They were told these were defaulters and their supply was disconnected,” said an REC executive. “We will now look into the system for approving state sanctions and if these can be made more stringent. The federal structure of power distribution does not allow the Centre to dictate terms to the state. But then consumers will be the best judge when the time comes,” said Goyal.

Nagela Fatela village in Hathras, Uttar Pradesh Photo: Dalip Kumar

The story of this one village reflects the lack of coordination among central and state authorities. In 2013, the Uttar Pradesh government approved six districts to be electrified under the Rajiv Gandhi Gram Vidyutikaran Yojana for Rs 1,456 crore. A committee approved Rs 171 crore for rural electrification in Hathras district in November 2013.

The Rajiv Gandhi Gram Vidyutikaran Yojana was renamed the Deendayal Upadhaya Gram Jyoti Yojana when the National Democratic Alliance came to power at the Centre in 2014.