 "Uttar Pradesh blames Centre for Nagela Fatela power fracas")
Electrification of Nagela Fatela village in Uttar Pradesh’s Hathras district, mentioned by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in his Independence Day speech, is still being contested by the Centre and state governments.
Uttar Pradesh’s power utility has said the Centre had recorded the village as electrified and hence the state could not be blamed if power was unavailable. In a rebuttal to a notice issued by Rural Electrification Corporation (REC), Dakshinanchal Vidyut Vitran Nigam Limited (DVVNL) said the Centre’s officials were solely responsible for recording electrification of villages.
“The GARV App is maintained by REC and field data is collected and provided by Gram Vidyut Abhiyantas (GAVs) employed by REC to monitor progress of village electrification,” said the reply by DVVNL reviewed by Business Standard.
A day after Modi said Nagela Fatela (Census code: 122938) received electricity 70 years after Independence, the village had no power supply and had illegal electricity connections. The local authorities were reported to be charging for the illegal connections. REC’s notice on August 17 asked DVVNL to respond on the status of energisation—having both power infrastructure and supply—of Nagela Fatela. It also raised questions on the illegal connections.
DVVNL replied electrification was delayed by slow work by the private contractor. “The sanctioned cost of the project by REC is Rs 108.3 crore and Rs 24.6 crore have been released by REC till date, against which only Rs 10.3 crore is released due to slow and sluggish performance of the turnkey contractor,” DVVNL said.
A notice had been issued to the contractor on the pace of work in the village, DVVNL said. It also said the Centre was apprised about the electrification status of the village in October 2015 based on the old infrastructure. DVVNL said the infrastructure plan for electrifying the village was changed by REC in a survey conducted after 80 households were electrified in 2004-05.
“Our understanding from the reply is that electricity connectivity to the outer areas was provided some years ago but it could not reach the inhabited areas. The state government has also agreed to dismantle illegal connections, thereby accepting their existence,” an REC executive said.
REC approved the detailed project report and funds for electrification for Hathras district in January 2014. In addition, it approved Rs 105 crore for connecting households below the poverty line.
The Hathras project was tendered to a contractor by the state government in the same year. In October 2015, Uttar Pradesh informed REC and the power ministry that electrification of seven districts, encompassing 155 villages, including Nagela Fatela, was concluded. DVVNL’s report mentioned work was completed in Nagela Fatela.
Uttar Pradesh’s power utility has said the Centre had recorded the village as electrified and hence the state could not be blamed if power was unavailable. In a rebuttal to a notice issued by Rural Electrification Corporation (REC), Dakshinanchal Vidyut Vitran Nigam Limited (DVVNL) said the Centre’s officials were solely responsible for recording electrification of villages.
“The GARV App is maintained by REC and field data is collected and provided by Gram Vidyut Abhiyantas (GAVs) employed by REC to monitor progress of village electrification,” said the reply by DVVNL reviewed by Business Standard.
A day after Modi said Nagela Fatela (Census code: 122938) received electricity 70 years after Independence, the village had no power supply and had illegal electricity connections. The local authorities were reported to be charging for the illegal connections. REC’s notice on August 17 asked DVVNL to respond on the status of energisation—having both power infrastructure and supply—of Nagela Fatela. It also raised questions on the illegal connections.
DVVNL replied electrification was delayed by slow work by the private contractor. “The sanctioned cost of the project by REC is Rs 108.3 crore and Rs 24.6 crore have been released by REC till date, against which only Rs 10.3 crore is released due to slow and sluggish performance of the turnkey contractor,” DVVNL said.
A notice had been issued to the contractor on the pace of work in the village, DVVNL said. It also said the Centre was apprised about the electrification status of the village in October 2015 based on the old infrastructure. DVVNL said the infrastructure plan for electrifying the village was changed by REC in a survey conducted after 80 households were electrified in 2004-05.
“Our understanding from the reply is that electricity connectivity to the outer areas was provided some years ago but it could not reach the inhabited areas. The state government has also agreed to dismantle illegal connections, thereby accepting their existence,” an REC executive said.
REC approved the detailed project report and funds for electrification for Hathras district in January 2014. In addition, it approved Rs 105 crore for connecting households below the poverty line.
The Hathras project was tendered to a contractor by the state government in the same year. In October 2015, Uttar Pradesh informed REC and the power ministry that electrification of seven districts, encompassing 155 villages, including Nagela Fatela, was concluded. DVVNL’s report mentioned work was completed in Nagela Fatela.