The Centre has allocated more than Rs 11,000 crore for bringing electricity to every nook and corner of Uttar Pradesh, despite the failure of successive governments in the state to utilize central grants meant for the purpose over the last one decade, Union Power Minister Piyush Goyal said.
"The Narendra Modi government has launched two schemes to realize the goal of bringing electricity to every household in the country by 2019. The allocation for UP under these two schemes amounts to nearly 11,500 crore," Goyal told reporters here.
He, however, pointed out "electrification has been abysmally slow" in the state over the last one decade despite billions of rupees having been sanctioned by the Centre.
"A total sum of Rs 11,715 crore had been sanctioned for the state during the 11th and the 12th Five Year Plans. The state, however, failed to reach even 50 percent of its intended target," he said and urged the state government to make full use of the current allocation.
Asked about possibility of the BJP making power a major issue in Assembly elections in UP, due in less than a year, Goyal said "Prime Minister Narendra Modi does not believe in treating electricity as a poll plank. He sees power as a necessity in the modern world. Our government works in accordance with the approach".
The Power Minister arrived in the city this morning and prior to addressing the news conference paid a visit to Meja, about 40 km from here, to inspect an upcoming thermal power project besides launching schemes under DDUGJY and IPDS in the district at a cost of about Rs 58.20 crore.
He also announced that the Centre has allocated Rs 20 crore for building nine new sub-stations across the district.
Goyal will be staying here tonight and will visit the neighboring district of Pratapgarh tomorrow before boarding his return flight to New Delhi.
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