Centre refutes UP's claim of Nagla Fatela electrification

 Shifting blame to Uttar Pradesh, Power Minister Piyush Goyal today made public documents to show Prime Minister Narendra Modi's electrification claim for Nagla Fatela village was based on information from the state and alleged that the government there was hiding its own "inefficiencies by blaming the Centre".

Besides, Rural Electrification Corp, which comes under his ministry, sought clarification from UP's Dakshinanchal Vidyut Vitaran Nigam Ltd (DVVNL) on reports about no power connections having been given to households, though the firm in October 2015 certified the village as electrified after laying of infrastructure using central funds.

While talking about his government's achievement, Modi in his Independence Day speech from the Red Fort claimed of huge success in bringing electricity to more villages and cited example of Nagla Fatela, three hours from Delhi, getting electricity after more than 70 years.

This led to a political row, with the Uttar Pradesh government claiming the village had already been electrified in 1985. However, some reports have suggested that the village is yet to get fully-electrified.

Countering the state government claims, Goyal said if the village in Hathras district was electrified way back in 1985, how come the village was in a series of reports from the state dating up to November 2013 identified among unelectrified ones and proposed to be provided with power using central fund.

The State Level Standing Committee headed by Chief Secretary had in a note on November 13, 2013 shown the village unelectrified.

A letter was sent by Managing Director of DVVNL (state power distribution company) to Central Government nodal agency REC for inclusion of Hathras in the Rural Electrification scheme. Nagla Fatela was shown as unelectrified village with zero households electrified, he said.

The Centre, he said, approved fund allocation for the electrification in January 6, 2014 and utilising Central funds transmission line and other equipment were installed by October 20, 2015.

DVVNL certified completion of electrification, he said adding after that it is the responsibility of the state government to supply electricity.

"Clearly, Uttar Pradesh government is trying to hide its inefficiencies and inadequacies by blaming the Centre," Goyal said.

Modi said on Monday, "Out of 18,000 unelectrified villages, more than 10,000 villages have been electrified (during NDA regime). The village of Nagla Fatela is only three hours from Delhi, but it took more than 70 years for it to get electricity. I have been told they are with us, watching this celebration of Independence Day."

This kicked up a row as the village, according to reports, continues to be in darkness.
"Yet villagers, according to the same reports, paid a monthly electricity bill. How?" wondered Goyal.

He pointed to official communication received by his ministry since 2013 for electrification of Hathras district and the many villages within it, including Nagla Fatela.
Sanction letter was issued in January 2014 and communication from DVVNL informed in November 2015 that the project for electrifying several villages, including Nagla Fatela, was completed.

The completion certificate has signatures of state government officials as well as the contractor for the job, Accurate Transformers, in 2014.

The notice sent by REC to DVVNL sought explanation on media reports that quoted chief engineer VS Gangwar as saying that the village was electrified many years ago, but only through "katia" (illegal) connections.

"You may also clarify, why, if the infrastructure work had been completed and certified on October 30, as reported by DVVNL, no connection has so far been released to households, including BPL households and the infrastructure remained underutilised after spending public money, including GOI grant. In case your reply is not received within three days, action as deemed appropriate will be initiated," the notice said.