Nominal security deposit for BPL power consumers-Minister

Bhubaneswar, Oct 16 (UNI) The Orissa government has decided to collect the security deposit of Rs 60 and processing charge of Rs 25 from the BPL consumers in six installments for providing subsidised power in the state.

Energy Minister S N Patro said the decision to collect the fees in installment was taken keeping in view the consideration that the BPL families would not be in a position to pay the amount at one go.

The government would provide electricity to 42 lakh BPL families at a subsidised rate.

An incentives of Rs ten per consumer would be given to employees collecting application from the prospective consumers seeking electricity connection, he said.

The Minister said the Union government had sanctioned Rs 3,58,218.71 lakh for the electrification of 47,120 villages in Orissa, spread over 25 districts under the RGGVY scheme.

The Minister said so far except Malkangiri all the rest 29 districts of the state had been covered under the scheme.

He said no fund had been sanctioned to implement the scheme in Bhadrak, Sundergarh, Nabarangpur and Mayurbhanj districts.

Mr Patro said supply of electricity was affected in 1,698 villages, due to the flood and power, had been restored in 970 villages so far.

The Special Relief Commission (SRC) had assured to provide an assistance of Rs 20 crore for the restoration of electricity in the flood-hit areas.

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