Mayawati writes to PM for approval of projects under RGRS

Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Mayawati asked Prime Minister Manmohan Singh to direct Union Ministry of Energy to approve projects under Rajiv Gandhi Rural Electrification Scheme (RGRS) at the earliest.

Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Mayawati on Thursday asked Prime Minister Manmohan Singh to direct Union Ministry of Energy to approve projects under Rajiv Gandhi Rural Electrification Scheme (RGRS) at the earliest.

HT Image

In a letter to the PM, Mayawati said the target of supplying power to every household of the state by 2012 under its Rural Electrification Scheme, could not be achieved until extensive electrification of villages was carried out.

The Centre had also set a similar target by 2012, she pointed out.

Mayawati charged in the letter that the centre under this scheme did not approve electrification of most of the villages; therefore, these targets could not be achieved.

The chief minister said the scheme approved by the centre in 2005 had been sanctioned under the Accelerated Rural Electrification Programme (AREP) approved earlier and in between Rajiv Gandhi Electrification Programme was implemented.

Because all projects of the state with regard to AREP was made according to the definition of electrified village, a large number of partially-electrified villages remained devoid of the benefits of the scheme, Mayawati said.