Task force to ensure rural electrification in Orissa

Bhubaneswar, Jun 13 (UNI) Orissa Energy Minister S N Patro today directed the power distribution companies in the state to constitute a task force to ensure that rural electrification under the Rajiv Gandhi Rural Electrification Programme.

Mr Patra said the Task force should comprise three officers - one Executive Engineer and two Sub-Divisional Engineers, who should look into the programmes taking the load factor into consideration.

At present the Rural Electrification programme was being implemented in four districts - Gajapati, Ganjam, Nayagarha and Angul.

The programme is scheduled to be implemented in the districts of Balasore, Puri and Jajpur.

The Minister said the distribution companies were also asked to replace around 3000 old transformers with high capacity ones within next three months and apprise the government of the progress in every week.

Mr Patro criticised Union Power Secretary Anil Razdan for blaming the state government for the tardy implementation of the Rajiv Gandhi Rural Electrification programme.

He said the Public sector companies were implementing the scheme in the state, and the state had nothing to do with it.

The progress was slow as the central PSUs did not have the required manpower and raw material to implement the scheme, he said.

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