Jhumpura: The Centre is bragging about rural electrification under the Deendayal Upadhyay Gramin Bidyutkaran Yojana across the country, but many tribal pockets in the Jhumpura block of Keonjhar district have no electricity.
The development of many villages has been hit by the lack of roads, healthcare facilities, safe drinking water and electrification. The absence of basic facilities has angered the people of Dakuasahi.
Rural electrification has been derailed due to lack of monitoring and mismanagement and people are facing darkness in many villages.
In some areas, the electrification drive has been abandoned or is incomplete. The villagers of Dakuasahi have warned of a poll boycott.
The block and district administrations have been receiving complaints regarding this from the panchayats of Nischintpur, Balibandh, Basantpur and Khuntapada, a report said.
The people of Dakuasahi has made it clear to the BDO that they would not take part in the coming elections if electricity is not supplied to their village.
A private agency was awarded the contract for electrification and had agreed June 12, 2016 to complete the work by June 2016. The agency was expected to supply power to 45,000 BPL families in 2,123 villages at a cost of Rs 225 crore.
But only 18,000 BPL families in 771 villages have got electricity. Official sources said that 16,000 families were provided electricity. It was also said that 1,172 households in 65 villages were electrified in July, but that is doubtful.
Villagers like Purnima Nayak, Soudamini Nayak, Anuradha Nayak and Samara Munda said they have been demanding electricity since long.
A year ago utility poles were installed, wires drawn and a transformer was set up in the village, but electricity has not been supplied.
BDO Jayshree Beura was not available for comment. NESCO’s Rimuli Section Engineer D. Murmu said that steps were being taken to supply electricity to the village.
PNN