REC loan to upgrade transmission

THE RURAL Electrification Corporation (REC), a Central Government undertaking, has agreed to sanction Rs 6,000 cr loan for upgradation of the State?s power transmission network. The corporation also expressed satisfaction over the progress of execution of rural electrification programme in the State.

THE RURAL Electrification Corporation (REC), a Central Government undertaking, has agreed to sanction Rs 6,000 cr loan for upgradation of the State’s power transmission network. The corporation also expressed satisfaction over the progress of execution of rural electrification programme in the State.

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REC Chairman and Chief Managing Director AK Lakhina today met Chief Minister Mulayam Singh Yadav and told him that the corporation had agreed to give Rs 6,000 cr loan to the State to strengthen and upgrade the transmission lines.

Transmission network needs to be strengthened in view of the proposed electrification of over 30,000 villages under the Rajiv Gandhi Rural Electrification Programme. Yadav told him that as many as 7,500 villages were electrified during 2005-06. The remaining 23,000 villages would be electrified by January 2007, he said. The CM said that directives had been issued for implementation of franchise system in villages to collect power bills and maintain the supply.

He requested Lakhina to sanction funds for electrification of purvas (hamlets) too. Earlier, in the morning, Lakhina saw a presentation made by private companies on the rural franchise system to be introduced in villages, at Shakti Bhawan.

UP Power Corporation Ltd MD Avnish Awasthi told Lakhina that five villages had initially been identified to introduce the franchise system as a pilot project.