Implementation of RGRES in bad shape in rural J'khand: Cong

Jharkhand Pradesh Congress Committee (JPCC) today said implementation of the Rajiv Gandhi Rural Electrification Scheme in Kolhan division including East Singhbhum district is in a bad shape as 93 per cent of the burnt or non-functional transformers are yet to be replaced.
The industrial and mineral-rich districts of East Singhbhum has 1,750 villages, while West Singhbhum and Seraikela-Kharswan under Kolhan division have 1,672 and 1,183 villages respectively, said JPCC secretary S R A Rizvi Chabban.
The Centre-sponsored rural electrification scheme was in a pathetic condition as 93 per cent of ten and 16 KVA transformers were either burnt or not functioning, but no initiative was yet taken by the state government to replace them, he alleged.

Besides, 1,454 villages in East Singhbhum, 1,304 villages in West Singhbhum and 971 villages in Seraikela-Kharswan were without any electricity due to tardiness of the state administration in replacing the faulty transformers.
Unfortunately, no steps were taken to provide electricity under the scheme in 177 villages of East Singhbhum, 134 in West Singhbhum and 101 in Seraikela-Kharswan, a senior Congress leader regretted.
Only seven per cent of these faulty transformers were replaced so far, which exhibited the seriousness of the state government in implementing the scheme, Chabban said.
The previous UPA government had decided to replace the ten and 16 KVA transformers with 25 KVA ones, but only seven per cent transformers were replaced with higher capacity ones so far.

Even the initiative to replace single phase electricity supply to double phase was very poor, he added.