Centre peeved at slow pace of RGGVY work in Orissa

The Centre has vented its displeasure over the sluggish pace of implementation of Rajiv Gandhi Grameen Vidyutikaran Yojana (RGVY), a Centrally sponsored scheme, in Orissa.

Peeved over the slow pace of work executed by the contractors appointed by the Central PSUs responsible for implementing the flagship scheme in the state, the Centre has directed these PSUs to expedite work.

The three PSUs implementing the scheme in Orissa are National Thermal Power Corporation (NTPC), Power Grid Corporation of India Limited (PGCIL) and National Hydroelectric Power Corporation (NHPC).

“We have instructed the Central PSUs implementing the RGGVY in Orissa to expedite work on rural electrification. We have also directed them to take action against the errant contractors responsible for the delay”, Union minister of state for power Bharat Singh Solanki told reporters here after reviewing the progress of the scheme.

Atanu Sabyasachi Nayak, the state energy minister said, there was delay in implementation of RGGVY as the contractors are not deploying enough manpower in the villages to execute the work.

Despite the Centre's ambitious target to provide power to 10 lakh BPL (Bbelow Poverty Line) families in 47,529 villages of the state by 2012, only 29,735 villages have been electrified by the end of April this year, as per the data of the Central

Electricity Authority (CEA). With 17,794 villages yet to be electrified, Orissa is only next to Jharkhand (20,23 un-electrified villages) in having the most number of un-electrified villages in the country.

The districts where the implementation of RGGVY has been particularly slow are Malkangiri, Kandhamal, Sundergarh, Boudh and Jajpur.