107 villages still un-electrified in J&K

In a bid to fast-track electrification of all remaining villages in J&K, the Government of India (GoI) has directed the State Government to complete the process of electrification of all un-electrified villages by December 2016.
In two separate communications addressed to the top brass of J&K’s Power Development Department, the Union Power Ministry has asked them to pull up socks and complete electrification of all the un-electrified villages by end of this year under its flagship scheme of rural electrification, Deendayal Upadhyaya Gram Jyoti Yojana (DDUJGY).
As many as 107 villages in the State are yet to see electricity. In total, JK has 6337 villages, as per 2011 census. Of 14.97 lakh total rural households in the State, 3.56 lakh were un-electrified as on March 31, 2015. The number of such households has come down to 3.55 lakh as on March 31, 2016.
In a communication addressed to Development Commissioner Power on April 21, a senior official from Union Power Ministry has made it clear to state government to complete the electrification within the timeline.
“As you are kindly aware, that electrification of all un-electrified villages in the country has been taken on a Mission Mode by Government of India. As on March 31, 2015, there were 134 villages which were un-electrified in J&K and out of these villages, 27 have been electrified during 2015 leaving a balance of 107 villages. Ministry of Power, Government of India, has targeted to electrify these 107 villages by December 2016,” the letter from Executive Director DDUJGY, Danish Arora states.
In another communiqué shot to Commissioner Secretary PDD, the Union Power Ministry has directed state authorities to complete the bidding process for electrification of the villages by May 2016.
“I request you to kindly to review the status of the award of villages at personal level and advise the officers concerned to award the works by May 2016 so as to electrify these villages and achieve the set targets of Ministry of Power within the timelines,” the letter reads.
“While the Government of India is determined to electrify all remaining un-electrified villages by 31 December 2016 on mission mode, it may be mentioned that in J&K, award is yet to be placed for 107 un-electrified villages to be electrified through Grid.”
The progress of the program, according to the letter, is monitored by the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO).
Repeated attempts to seek state government’s views on the issue proved futile. Neither Commissioner Secretary PDD, Dheeraj Gupta, nor DCP, AyazGul, responded to calls from this reporter.