Dakshina Kannada Lok Sabha Member Nalin Kumar Kateel on Saturday directed the Mangalore Electricity Supply Company (MESCOM) to energise government offices in the district with solar power, starting with the offices of the Deputy Commissioner and the Zilla Panchayat.
He was presiding over the first meeting of district electricity committee for Integrated Power Development Scheme (IPDS) and Deen Dayal Upadhyay Grama Jyothi Yojan here. MESCOM should draw up plans to energise remote villages, like, Banjarumale, Maligemane, Elaniru etc., with solar power, as drawing conventional power lines to these villages had become difficult due to restrictions under forest laws, he stressed.
MESCOM officials said at the meeting that proposals worth Rs. 68.13 crore under IPDS and Rs. 405.66 crore under DDUGJY had been sent to the central government, which are likely to be approved. Superintending Engineer of Mangaluru Circle U.B.S. Sukumar told The Hindu that 60 per cent of the funds come in the form of grant and the rest as loan.
Meanwhile, the meeting also directed the MESCOM to energise 3,800 households in the district belonging to BPL families within a stipulated timeframe.
Deputy Commissioner A.B. Ibrahim, and zilla panchayat CEO P.I. Sreevidya were present.
