Maharashtra villages to get 'electric manager' to solve connection problems

Mumbai: Maharashtra Government on Thursday said it will implement 'one village, one rural electric manager' scheme to ensure that problems of the rural population regarding electricity connections are resolved swiftly.

"The scheme will be implemented by the gram panchayats. The gram panchayats will act as the franchisee," Maharashtra Power Minister Chandrashekar Bawankule told reporters here.

State Rural Development Minister Pankaja Munde was also present at the media briefing.

As franchisee, the gram panchayats will have the job of meter reading, attending breakdown, restoring electricity, maintaining street lights, new electric connections, stopping electricity connection for non-payment of arrears.

Gram panchayats will be given Rs nine as fee per electricity consumer.

The job of rural electric manager will be on contract basis and the payment would be Rs nine per consumer or Rs 3,000 (monthly), whichever is more.

"'Mahavitaran' will insure the rural electric managers and premium would be paid by it," the Power Minister added.

Munde said her department has agreed to appoint gram panchayats as the franchisee and their jurisdiction would be all revenue villages.