Villagers lurk in the dark

Statesman News Service

MALDA, Nov. 1: The Malda zilla parishad failed to spend the Rs 5 crore allotted for rural electrification within the stipulated time.Authorities of Rural Electrification Development Corporation (REDC) had given the zilla parishad a 31 September deadline in a notification since the state government is trying to wind down the corporation. The Malda zilla parishad was in trouble as they already had several schemes in process, and was thus unable to utilise the allotted fund within the stipulated time."Since 2001 till date we have more than Rs 5 crore in REDC's savings account. But technically we are not in a position to utilise the funds as the state government has decided to wind down the REDC now,” said Mr Goutam Chakraborty, Sabhadhipati Malda zilla parishad. Mr Chakraborty had approached the chairman of the State Assembly Subject Committee for electricity to pursue the matter with the government so they can utilise the funds by March 2007. It is learnt that the REDC would be merged with the state electricity board, which would directly function in the rural belt. In Malda there are hundreds of villages who have literally been kept in the dark, in more than three mouzas in this district. The state electricity officials said there was no need of the REDC now as the Central government has planned to develop rural electricity through Rajiv Gandhi Gramin Vidyut Yojona (RGGVY). It is learnt that Malda zilla parishad has sent several proposals based on RGGVY, estimating more than Rs 4 crore but not a single one of them has been approved. The present staff of the REDC, Malda zilla parishad now expect to be employees of the state electricity board by March 2008. This matter was discussed at a meeting with the members of the subject committee held here recently. According to the Electricity Act 2003 there would be drastic changes for electrification based on the performance of the state.