In photo: A solar power plant in Shilong
Shillong: Militant activities, bad roads and prolonged
monsoons have delayed timely completion of centrally sponsored Rajiv
Gandhi Grameen Vidyutikaran Yojana (RGGVY) in Meghalaya, Power Minister
Clement Marak told the Assembly on Monday.
Militant activities coupled with agitation programmes, bad roads,
monsoon and hilly terrains are some of the main factors that have caused
delay in the implementation of the RGGVY scheme in the state.
The state government had received sanction of Rs. 466.92
crore for electrification of 1866 villages, intensification works in
3239 electrified villages and providing free electric connection to
1,09,696 BPL households.
So far, 1676 un-electrified villages were electrified (90%),
intensification of 2415 electrified villages had been completed (75%)
and 90,227 BPL households were provided with power connections (82%).
Power Minister said that works in the Khasi Jaintia Hills region,
(except for West Khasi Hills district), had been completed and the
closure proposal is submitted to the state government, which would
thereafter be submitted to the Rural Electrification Corporation (REC)
for the closing process.
In the Garo Hills region, 90% of un-electrified villages had been
electrified, intensification of 74% electrified villages had been
completed and 81% BPL households were provided electrification, Clement
Marak said.
Marak also admitted that the state government was criticised by the
Ministry of Power at the Conference of Power Ministers for its
under-performance but the Centre accepted the reasons cited for the
delay. The Centre had also granted extension of time for the state
government to complete the project till January 2014, the minister
added.