Paralakhemundi: One of the many welfare schemes and programmes introduced by the state government is the Biju Gram Jyoti Yojana (BGJY). It aims to provide electricity to every rural household in the state.
In some cases, though provision for projects worth crores of rupees has been made to provide electricity to the people of different areas, the projects are lying unused after completion.
A case in point is the power grid of the Odisha Power Transmission Corporation Limited (OPTCL) located at Bhaliasahi under R. Udayagiri block in Gajapati district. Built at an estimated cost of Rs 20 crore, it has been lying unused for the past one year. It is to provide electricity to the people of R. Udayagiri and Nuagada blocks of Gajapati district.
The people of this region are depending upon the Mohana power grid whereas the Bhaliasahi power grid could have catered to the needs of these people had it been operational. The local people have demanded to make the Bhaliasahi power grid operational, immediately.
Reacting to this, executive engineer of SOUTHCO at Paralakhemundi, Prasad Pattanayak said, “Bhaliasahi power grid is not under the control of SOUTHCO, rather it is under the control of OPTCL authorities.”
The views of Chairman-cum-Managing Director of OPTCL, Hemant Sharma could not be obtained.
