A whopping number of 3,615 villages are yet to be connected with electricity in 29 districts of the State. Energy Minister Pranab Prakash Das revealed this information in the State Assembly on Tuesday in response to a question of Congress MlA Tara Prasad Bahinipati.
However, the Minister said that the NTPC and PGCIl have been entrusted the electrification work in non-electrified villages in 24 districts. These two companies have already started works. Electrification work in the rest six districts would begin after completion of the tender process, he said. The electrification works have been taken up under the Rajiv Gandhi Gramin Vidyut Yojna (RGGVY) and Deen Dayal Upadhyaya Gramya Jyoti Yojana (DDUGJY).
The non-electrified villages include the highest number of 488 villages in Mayurbhanj district followed by 438 in Raygada and 406 in Koraput district. Cuttack has no non-electrified village, according to the Minister’s information.