UP to engage women SHGs to recover unpaid power bills from 60,000 villages

Success of pilot project in Varanasi, Gorakhpur and Mathura prompts state govt to extend it to all districts, as recovery by energy dept is about 50%

Failing to realise even half the power dues from villages, the energy department in Uttar Pradesh has now decided to avail the services of women self-help groups (SHGs) that have been engaged to unpaid electricity bills from inhabitants in 60,000-odd villages. The state energy department has signed an agreement with Rural Livelihood Mission in this connection and training for recovery will begin on Tuesday.

Energy minister Srikant Sharma said UP is the first state in the country to have taken this initiative in which rural women will be given employment. He said these women would only recover power dues in villages