Energy Minister announces Rs 75 cr package for Koraput

The Pioneer, Aug 22, 2007

Pioneer News Service | Jeypore
Energy Minister and chairman of the Koraput District Planning Committee Surya Narayan Patro announced a package of Rs 75 crore under three different schemes-Biju KBK Yojana, Backward Regions Grant Fund (BRGF) and National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (NREGS) -for the district in the current financial year.

While addressing a Press conference at Koraput, Patro said the funds provided for the three schemes were exclusive of other schemes. A sum of Rs 38 crore would be spent on National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (NREGS) that would help in providing employment to people for 100 days, with 60 per cent of the fund being used for payment of wages while the remaining 40 per cent being spent on purchasing of materials.

Under the Biju KBK Yojana, he said, the Government intends to spend Rs 21 crore so that each of the 14 blocks in the district receives Rs 1.5 crore for development works that would include rural electrification, communications, roads, water supply and construction of school buildings. Under the BRGF scheme, each of the blocks would get an additional amount of Rs 1 crore, 56 per cent of which would be spent in the rural areas and 44 per cent in the urban areas.

However, before the utilisation of the funds in various schemes, the local elected representatives would be consulted and a project report would be presented within the next 15 days, Patro said.

He further said that electricity would be provided to people who come under the BPL category on payment of Rs 35, which would be collected as the charge for the connection.

The Minister admitted that the reasons behind the failure of the Pradhan Mantri Gramya Sadak Yojana (PMGSY) were the strict guidelines from the Centre and the non-availability of contractors. Koraput Collector Balakrishna Sahu and Pottangi MLA Jayaram Pangi were present at the Press meet.