Sonia promises power, Mulayam gets a spark

The funds were released about six months ago but made public only today to coincide with the Congress president’s announcement in Rae Bareli. The rural electrification scheme, Sonia said, was her Holi gift to residents. The project is to be completed next year. The Congress chief said BPL families would be given free connections. The scheme will benefit 5,000 villages in the districts of Rae Bareli, Azamgarh, Mau, Ballia, Deoria, Kushinagar, Sitapur and Sultanpur.

The state government’s scheme is a close parallel. Here too, BPL families across 65 districts will get free connections. The power corporation says the scheme will be launched by the CM next month. Yadav has directed the managing directors of the four power distribution companies — Pashchimanchal, Dakshinanchal, Madhyanchal and Purvanchal power corporations — to coordinate operations.

Curiously enough, the state’s scheme will also cover the eight districts which have been included in Sonia’s project. While Power Grid Corporation of India will undertake rural electrification in the eight districts, the remaining 57 districts will be handled by the UP Power Corporation Limited.