SHILLONG, APR 4: The State Planning Board has given a two-month deadline to the Meghalaya Energy Corporation Limited (MeECL) to complete the implementation of the Saubhagya scheme for providing electricity to all households in the state.
“We have asked the MeECL to ensure that all households in the rural areas of the state are electrified under the scheme within May 31,” chairman of the board Lambor Malngiang told reporters after chairing a review meeting here on Thursday.
A total of Rs 483.69 crore was sanctioned for providing electricity connection to 1,99, 835 households in the eleven districts of the state. The Centre will sanction Rs 411.13 crore (85% share) while the remaining Rs 72.55 crore by the state.
However, the balance amount yet to be released by the Centre is Rs 240.91 crore and Rs 72.55 crore by the state.
The project, which started in 2017, is aimed at cent percent household electrification through construction of a 11 KV line with ACSR weasel conductor, installation of distribution transformers and others.
Asked, Malngiang however informed that only 30 per cent of work has been completed so far and the total expenditure as on date is Rs 146.09 crore. “Therefore, 70 percent of the targeted households are yet to be electrified,” he said.
Meanwhile, the chairman of the board has also sought a report on the number of rusted electricity poles across the state. “We have asked the concerned authority to identify rusted electricity poles and accordingly replacing them keeping in mind safety aspect of residents,” he said.
According to him, the board will also write to the government to release more funds for maintenance of electricity poles.
On the frequent power cuts in the past few months, Malngiang admitted that this has affected the people of the state to a greater extent even as he emphasized on the need to come up with a policy to make Meghalaya, a power surplus state.
By Our Reporter
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