GUWAHATI, July 18 � Admitting that there had been anomalies in the implementation of the Rajiv Gandhi Grameen Vidyutikaran Yojana (Rajiv Gandhi Rural Electrification Scheme) in the State, Power Minister Pradyut Bardoloi today told the Assembly that during the first phase of the implementation, the detailed project reports (DPRs) of many villages were arm-chair exercises and hence largely inaccurate.
Replying to queries from several legislators on the implementation of the Centre�s flagship programme, Bardoloi said that the functioning of the Assam Power Distribution Company Limited (APDCL) which is responsible for implementing the project, was mostly town-centric and it also lacked adequate manpower.
�But it cannot shirk its responsibilities and now it has been told to outsource if necessary for discharging its obligations. We are also taking action against errant officers,� Bardoloi said.
Speaker Pranab Gogoi also intervened during the proceedings and said that a House Committee would be formed for facilitating smooth execution of the project in view of allegations of large-scale anomalies in rural electrification.
Legislators Bhupen Ray (AGP), Bhupen Bora (Congress), Pallab Lochan Das (Congress), Gul Akhtara Begum (AIUDF), Keshab Mahanta (AGP), Jayanta Malla Baruah (Congress) and Manowar Hussain (AIUDF) dwelt on wide-ranging anomalies in the rural electrification project. They said that transformers remained only in name as there was no maintenance, repair or replacement of out-of-order transformers. Villages with partial electrification were also declared as electrified.
Bhupen Bora said that corruption and lots of glaring anomalies were detected in the Rs 400-crore rural electrification project in Karbi Anglong district but the Government was not serious in probing the matter.
