Naveen meets Shinde on slow RGGVY implementation

New Delhi, May 14 (UNI) Orissa Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik today urged Union Power Minister Sushil Kumar Shinde to speed up the implementation of the Rajiv Gandhi Gramin Vidyutikaran Yojana (RGGVY) in Orissa and expedite release of funds for the already sanctioned projects under the scheme.

Raising the issue in a meeting with the Minister, Mr Patnaik said the state government looks upon the RGGVY as a great opportunity for extension of the rural distribution network as well as household connectivity.

While the Orissa government has submitted project reports for all the 30 districts, in-principle sanction has been recieved for eight, Five projects have been sanctioned and funds have been released for two only, an official statement said.

Mr Shinde agreed to look into the matter and assured the Chief Minister of speedy implementation of the Yojana.

As only villages with a populatin greater than 300 are eligible for funding under this scheme, Mr Patnaik called upon the Minister to relax the population norms for Orissa as the state has large tracts of tribal areas with widely dispersed small villages having population less than 300.

He also discussed the allocation of coal blocks for shell companies of the state PSUs for mini ultra mega power projects to be set up on the basis of tariff based competitive bidding. Seven such coal blocks are available for allocation. Three shell companies have been set up by OHPC that have applied for allocation of the five coal blocks.

Mr Shinde agreed to consider this favourably, the statement said.

UNI