The recommendation of five employees of Uttarakhand Power Corporation Limited (UPCL) to the Rural Electrification Corporation Limited (RECL), New Delhi for award of outstanding contribution in implementing Saubhagya scheme has come under cloud. The recommendations have been challenged by a person none other than one who till yesterday was the chief engineer (Project) of the Saubhagya scheme, considered one of the pet schemes of the Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

In a letter written to the director, operations of UPCL, the outgoing chief engineer (projects), R S Burfal registered his objection on the names of the persons selected for the award.

He has specially objected to the selection of the executive engineer (Ex En) rural electrification wing, Dehradun, Ankit Jain for the award.  He said that Jain had worked just for a period of six to seven months in the project and thereafter he had been transferred. Incidentally, Jain at present is attached to the office of secretary, Energy Radhika Jha.

In his letter, Burfal categorically mentioned that Jain had played no special role in the execution of the project and his selection for the award had therefore raised suspicion. In the letter, he further said that the RECL had clearly mentioned that the names of the officers alone should be sent for the award.

But in the list, one person who is a non-officer had also been mentioned, he said in the letter. Burfal has sought to know the criteria of selection of persons for the award.

The objection of the chief engineer came after the secretary energy Radhika Jha had recommended names of superintending engineer, Rudrapur, Udham Singh Nagar, N S Tolia, Ex En Ankit Jain, sub- divisional officer, Chakrata, Dehradun, Ashok Kumar, junior engineer, Didihat, Pithoragarh, Kundan Ram and TG II Line Chamba, Tehri Garhwal Hans Lal for outstanding contributor award for Saubhagya Yojana to the executive director PMD, RECL, New Delhi. 

As expected, Burfal was removed from the position of the chief engineer projects on Friday. Saubhaya or Pradhan Mantri Sahaj Bijli Har Ghar Yojana is an ambitious scheme to provide electricity to all the households across the country.