GUWAHATI: Villagers in some parts of Assam have alleged contractors are demanding bribes for providing power connections that are given free under a central scheme, a complaint the REC officials have promised to look into.
Some villagers living in Sonitpur and Golaghat districts have complained that the civil contractors executing the rural electrification works in these areas are asking for money to provide power connections.
This is despite instruction for providing them free of cost for those living below the poverty line (BPL), they told visIing reporters.
Rajiv Gandhi Grameen Vidyutikaran Yojana (RGGVY) is an ambitious government plan to provide free electricity connection to all the villages in the country. It was launched in April, 2005 by merging all ongoing schemes.
The programme provides for 90 per cent grant by the Centre and 10 per cent loan by REC to the state governments. REC is the nodal agency for the programme.
“Some families have been asked to pay bribe of Rs 4,000 to get electricity connection in their households,” one of the villagers said on the condition of anonymity.
“The middle men of Construction Company are trying to get some mileage out of it,” he added.
The spokesman of the south based Company, a civil contractor for these villages, however, did not respond to the e-mail queries on the matter.
Meanwhile, the locals have also complained that several villages have been left out from the scheme.
“Flood affected and backward areas have not been taken care off, only 20 per cent of the work has been done …. contractors are asking money for providing connections. We want that people should get electricity under RGGVY,” Debjyoti Bhuyan, Vice President, Youth Congress, Bokakhat (Golaghat district) Assembly said.
REC said the number of BPL households in the villages of Assam has gone up.
“The number of BPL households has increased almost 30-40 per cent and the revised detailed project report with the revised budget has been approved. The balance work after the new BPL list will be completed soon,” A K Goswami, Chief Project Manager, REC, Guwahati said.
As per the latest data, 7423 villages of the targeted 8299 villages have been electrified in Assam, under the scheme.
As on January 31, 2012, 101.82 lakh villages all over the country have been electrified with free electricity connections provided to 181.74 lakh BPL households under RGGVY scheme. (PTI)
