OVER 50K RURAL HOUSEHOLDS GIVEN SOLAR POWER CONNECTIONS: UPPCL
LUCKNOW As many as 53,666 remotely located rural households in the state have been given solar power connections under the Saubhagya scheme to achieve last mile connectivity since connecting them to the electricity grid was not possible because of their difficult topography. The UP Power Corporation Ltd (UPPCL) shared this information during a meeting of the state-level committee on Saubhagya and Deen Dayal Upadhayaya Gram Jyoti (DDUGJY) here on Friday. Chief secretary Rajendra Kumar Tiwari chaired the meeting.
UPPCL officials said a total 62,18,629 households, 33,06213 of them below poverty line, had been given electricity connections with an expenditure of Rs 2,822.34 crore. The BPL families, they said, were provided free-of-cost connections under the scheme.
“Besides, the department also laid 50,009.56 km low tension (LT) line, 20619.46 km high tension (HT) line, installed 1,06,455 transformers and enhanced capacity of 219 sub-stations all entailing an investment of Rs 5,297.73 crore under the DDUGJY.
The CS asked officials to send the closure proposals to the Central government at the earliest for further action, if any.
VARANASI: Prime Minister Narendra Modi will inaugurate 68 development projects worth Rs 744 crore, lay foundation of over 65 projects worth Rs 839 crore and meet Covid warriors in Varanasi, besides addressing a public meeting during his proposed visit to his constituency on July 15, said officials with the district administration.
These projects include the inauguration of Varanasi International Cooperation and Convention Centre (VICCC) ‘Rudraksha’, Mother and Child Heath Wing of the SSL Hospital (BHU) and construction of roads.
In December 2015, the then Japan Prime Minister Shinzo Abe had visited Varanasi, along with Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Abe had gifted the VICCC project to the city. Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) had funded the construction of the VICCC, which cost around Rs 186 crore.
Japanese company Fujita Corporation, which was given the contract to construct the centre, built it and handed it over it to the Varanasi Smart City recently for its management and operation. UP chief secretary RK Tiwari and DGP Mukul Goel inspected this centre and the BHU on Sunday. Tiwari said, “The centre (VICCC) will give a worldwide message of friendship of India and Japan.”
He also instructed officials to make foolproof arrangements for the PM’S visit. The DGP said, “Tight security arrangements will be put in place for the PM’S proposed visit to Varanasi.”
A senior official said the Prime Minister will visit the VICCC and inaugurate it. Senior officials of Japan International Cooperation Agency will remain present during the inauguration of the centre.
Commissioner of police, A Satish Ganesh and district magistrate Kaushal Raj Sharma inspected the IIT-BHU ground, the venue for the public meeting to be addressed by the PM.
Modi will address a public meeting at the IIT-BHU ground. Before that, he will interact with around 400 Covid warriors and also meet some people who donated oxygen plants to hospitals through CSR funds. People who are likely to meet the PM will undergo Covid test, said an official.
Later in the day, the PM will also visit the Kashi Vishwanath Temple and inspect the Kashi Vishwanath Corridor, he added.
“The PM’S visit to Kashi is proposed on July 15. Preparations are being made for it,” said Navratan Rathi, BJP spokesperson, Kashi region.
With a probable third wave of the pandemic in mind, the medical fraternity is working hard to put all facilities in place. In wake of a dip in Covid cases, many doctors are taking time out from their hectic schedule to rejuvenate for the challenges ahead.
DR SHEETAL VERMA, SENIOR FACULTY, KGMU
Dr Sheetal Verma baked a cake along with her daughters and is partying with them at her residence these days. The doctor, who was on duty in the Covid ward and the microbiology lab, is rejuvenating before catching up with her next assignment.
“Time spent with family gives me the much needed recharge for the mind. While on Covid duty I was away from my daughters -- Sunishka and Vedika -- thus I planned a few days exclusively with them. This is better than any outdoor vacation for me,” said Dr Sheetal, whose Covid duty ended on May 17.
Dr Sheetal is a senior faculty at the department of microbiology at the King George’s Medical University in Lucknow that facilitated 988 beds for Covid patients – the maximum in UP among any other Covid hospital.
“Though on a holiday, I am attending online meetings and communicating with colleagues. In a couple of days I will be back on the campus,” she said.
The medical fraternity is working hard to make arrangements