Bihar RGGVY scheme - irregularities will be examined
Friday, 05 March 2010
TNN
Patna

Many states are not at all serious about Rural electrification
Gross irregularities in the rural electrification work under Rajiv Gandhi Gramin Vidyutikaran Yojana will be examined by a Call Attention Committee of the Bihar legislative assembly. After hearing the reply of the state government to a Call Attention moved by Ram Das Rai (RJD) and others and the opposition's concern over the failure of the scheme to take off, Speaker Uday Narain Chowdhary ruled that the entire matter would be inquired by Call Attention Committee of the House.

Raising the issue through a Call Attention, Rai said largescale malpractices had been noticed in Rajiv Gandhi Rural Electrification Scheme so much so that the scheme, which was launched four years back had failed to take shape to date. He further said that in the absence of quality control by the state government, the PowerGrid Corporation of India Ltd. (PGCIL) and National Hydro Power Corporation (NHPC), which have been allotted major works by the Rural Electrification Corporation (REC), were allegedly indulging in supplying low quality materials.

Rai said transformers are developing snag within 15 days of their installation. Moreover, the Bihar State Electricity Board's (BSEB) poles are being used by PGCIL, but no one is there to take care of it. Ram Chandra Purbey (RJD) asked whether there is any state government agency to inspect the work undertaken by PGCIL and NHPC and why no progress was made even after four years of the scheme.

Cooperative minister Giriraj Singh said that rural electrification work in 24 districts was allotted to PGCIL, six to NHPC and the rest eight districts were to be taken care of by BSEB. In all, 90 per cent of the expenditure was to be borne by the Central government and the rest 10 per cent was made available by providing loan to the agencies concerned. The REC makes direct payment to the two Central agencies who have been given contract on turnkey basis.

As for the inspection of ongoing work, the minister said that as per contract the state government could probe only after scheme is finally handed over to it. He further mentioned that as per the scheme, 15,116 villages are to be electrified. Of these 6,939 villages had already been electrified. Of the over 6.1 lakh BPL families to be covered under the scheme, 4.76 lakh families had already been covered, he said.

The opposition was, however, not satisfied by the minister's reply and demanded probe by a House Committee into the matter. Finally, the Speaker ruled that the Call Attention Committee would examine the whole issue.