Orissa seeks Centre's intervention to speed up RGGVY work

Worried over the slow pace of Rajiv Gandhi Grameen Vidyutikaran Yojana (RGGVY) work and the possibility of the Centre's flagship scheme missing its target for completion by March 2012, the Orissa government has sought intervention of the Union ministry of power to speed up project execution.

Of the mandated 44,117 un-electrified, de-electrified and partially electrified villages in the state, only 34,008 villages have been completed till January 2011. With only two months remaining for completion of the targeted work, it is now Herculean task to electrify the rest villages in time.

RGGVY work is being implemented in Orissa by three Central PSUs- National Hydro Power Corporation (NHPC), National Thermal Power Corporation (NTPC) and Power Grid Corporation of India Ltd (PGCIL).

 

“In a recent review meeting conducted by the state energy secretary, it was revealed that during the period of October 2011-January 2012, the work in only 2297 villages have been completed by all the three Central PSUs in the entire state. The rate of current progress comes to 765 villages in a month and the required rate for completing the balance work by March this year comes to about 5054 villages in a month. Now, it appears that it is almost impossible to achieve this figure with the current pace by the Central PSUs within the stipulated time frame. Besides this, the infrastructure works relating to 33 KV and 11 KV feeder lines and now augmenting substations is also lagging heavily”, state Chief Secretary B K Patnaik said in a letter to P Uma Shankar, secretary, Union ministry of power.

Even if the electrification work is completed at the village/habitation level, they cannot be energized unless the work pertaining to feeder lines is taken up. The sluggish progress in RGGVY work is attributed to deployment of inadequate manpower by contractors engaged by Central PSUs, acute cash flow problem at grass root level and inadequate managerial efforts in coordination with Railways and forest officials for various clearances.

“As the target is very tough and RGGVY programme is coming to a close by March 2012, you are requested to impress upon the chairman and managing directors of the Central PSUs to personally intervene to resolve these issues expeditiously so that the scheme can be completed before the stipulated time line”, the letter added.