Patna, May 12: Deploring the performance of Bihar government in giving a fresh impetus to power sector reforms, Union energy secretary R V Shahi said today despite necessary and adequate funding by the Centre, the state fell far short of achieving the target for rural electrification in 2002-03. In spite of the necessary and adequate funding by the Rural Electrification Corporation of India, only 1542 out of targetted 5000 villages could be electrified in 2002-03, Shahi told reporters after a high-level comprehensive review of power sector reforms in Bihar with Chief Minister Rabri Devi, Energy Minister Shakeel Ahmed Khan and top officials of the Bihar State Electricity Board (BSEB). Reiterating Centre's commitment to improving the power scenario in rural Bihar despite state's slip-shod performance, he said the Centre had chalked out an ambitious programme for rural electrification under which 8800 villages would be electrified in 2003-04.
This, he said, would include the villages left out by the BSEB last year. Of the 8800 villages, 2600 would be dealt with by the Power Grid Corporation of India and 6200 by the BSEB. In case the BSEB is unable to cope with the burden, an arrangement would be made after a mid-term appraisal of the progress a few months later and the Power Grid Corporation may be asked to shoulder the responsibility of electrifying greater number of villages than initially envisaged, he said. Bureau Report