LUCKNOW: The Uttar Pradesh Government on Sunday refuted the charge of the United Progressive Alliance chairperson Sonia Gandhi that Rae Bareli, the constituency she represents, was receiving step-motherly treatment in power supply. It said that 24-hour supply was being given to the town and the rural areas received 14 hours of power.

Addressing a press conference, Principal Secretary Energy Ashok Kumar Khurana said the Centre was to blame for the problems in rural Rae Bareli. He pointed to the delay in construction of a 220 kv substation by the Power Grid Corporation. The substation would have helped ease transmission problems, he claimed.

Mr. Khurana said the State Government decided to build the substation at Rae Bareli, and acquired land for it. But the Central Government said it would get the substation constructed by the Power Grid Corporation and the land was transferred to it in October last year. The issue was raised with Union Power Minister Sushil Kumar Shinde during his recent visit to Unchahar.

Mr. Khurana said the Power Grid Corporation officials who accompanied Mr. Shinde gave an assurance that the substation would be ready by January 15, 2007.

Before the byelection, Rae Bareli town and the rural areas of the district were getting 16 hours and 14 hours supply respectively. During the byelection 24 hour supply was given to the district, but after the poll the old schedule was followed.

He said that following Mr. Shinde's visit to Rae Bareli (Unchahar) on June 14 and his subsequent talks with Chief Minister Mulayam Singh Yadav power supply to the city was reverted to 24 hours with 14 hours supply to the rural areas. This schedule was being followed since June 15.

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