Assam unlikely to meet PM’s deadline for 24×7 power supply

GUWAHATI: Assam is unlikely to meet the deadline of March 31 next year as set by Prime Minister Narendra Modi to provide uninterrupted power supply to all households in the state. This was informed by Assam’s  MoS for Power (Independent charge)  Topon Kumar Gogoi here on Wednesday.
Talking to media here Gogoi said, “The Central government has set a target of providing 24×7 powers to all households by March 31, 2019. We are working towards it. However, it would be difficult to meet the target as there are challenges involved regarding of logistics.”
He informed that out of total 64 lakh households in the state, 23 lakh households are yet to be provided with electricity connection and most of these households are in tea garden and rural areas.
Gogoi asserted that electricity connection to all households would be provided by December 31 this year and work was going on a war-footing for the purpose.  “The tea garden areas will be covered in bulk and high lands will also be covered over these few months. The work in flood-prone area would be affected during the monsoons, but we will ensure full coverage by December 31, 2018,” he said.
Referring to bamboo and wooden poles being used in power transmission, he said such factors were making it difficult to meet the target of uninterrupted power supply and informed that all power poles will be converted to concrete in a phased manner within one to one-and-a-half year time.