3 lakh households in S Odisha live in dark

BERHAMPUR: Even as the State Government has set October 2 deadline to complete the electrification process, several villages in the southern districts are yet to receive power supply. Though the State Government has asked officials to complete the electrification process two months ahead of deadline set by the Centre, more than three lakh households in eight districts of Ganjam, Gajapati, Kandhamal, Boudh, Koraput, Rayagada, Nabarangpur and Malkangiri are yet to receive electricity.

These districts are placed under SOUTCHO for power supply. Regular district-level and several other meetings are held to ensure the successful implementation of the schemes. Despite such efforts being undertaken, access to power remains a distant dream for villagers.

In a bid to supply power to the villages, Rajiv Gandhi Rural Electrification Programme was introduced followed by other schemes like Deen Dayal Upadhyaya Gram Jyoti Yojana, Biju Gram Jyoti Yojana and Pradhan Mantri Sahaj Bijli Har Ghar Yojana.

The southern districts, which are included in the KBK zone, receive special grants for all-round development of the region apart from the  benefits of the power supply schemes. Funds worth `104.92 crore, `32.20 crore and ` 38.28 crore have been sanctioned for Ganjam, Gajapati and Kandhamal districts respectively for speeding up the electrification process.

In several villages, electric poles and conductors have been installed as part of  power supply schemes. However, sources alleged that these villages are yet to receive power supply.According to locals, lack of co-ordination between the departments, the callous attitude of the officials concerned and lack of funds have led to such a situation.

Until the implementation of Pradhan Mantri Sahaj Bijli Har Ghar Yojana that was launched in 2017, as many as 3,66,365 households in the eight districts had no access to power. The number of households that lacked electricity supply included 83,616 households in Ganjam, 48,403 in Koraput, 42,413 in Kandhamal, 39,105 in Nabarangpur, 21,944 in Gajapati, 37,971 in Rayagada, 12,118 in Malkangiri and 19,215 in Boudh.

Sources said SOUTHCO authorities had estimated the cost of electrification  of the remaining households at `694 crore. Its proposal was accepted and a target was fixed to complete the electrification by the end of December this year, sources added.“The electrification process got a boost after receiving a sum of `15.76 crore,” said P K Choudhury, general manager of SOUTHCO.

YET TO RECEIVE POWER
More than three lakh households in  Ganjam, Gajapati, Kandhamal, Boudh, Koraput, Rayagada, Nabarangpur and Malkangiri districts are yet to receive electricity.
In a bid to supply power to the villages, Rajiv Gandhi Rural Electrification Programme was introduced followed by other schemes like Deen Dayal Upadhyaya Gram Jyoti Yojana, Biju Gram Jyoti Yojana and Pradhan Mantri Sahaj Bijli Har Ghar Yojana.
Funds worth `104.92 crore, `32.20 crore and ` 38.28 crore have been sanctioned for Ganjam, Gajapati and Kandhamal districts respectively