Projects held up for want of electrification

BHAWANIPATNA: For a goat farm at Jaring and two poultry hatcheries at Bhawanipatna and Junagarh, Rs. 52 lakh and Rs. 20 lakh have been sanctioned in 2008-09 by the DRDA, Kalahandi, under the Swarnajayanti Gram Swarozgar Yojana (SGSY). The projects, however, are yet to see the light of the day in the absence of electrification.While the projects have ready infrastructure, they have not be made operational.  The proposed goat farm at Jaring was mooted to breed goats and capacity building of rural poor to manage goats effectively. The aim was to increase income of people who have taken up goat farming in the district.As per the programme, 400 female goats and 20 Black Bengal bucks, Jamunpuri, Beetal and Sirci varieties will be reared in this farm and the produced goats will be supplied to the poor farmers at affordable prices under the SGSY scheme. To make the farm self-sustaining, fodder cultivation was also  proposed.Similarly, the proposed poultry hatcheries at Bhawanipatna and Junagarh are aimed at producing 14,000 eggs each. The eggs would be supplied to SGSY beneficiaries to boost the rural economy. Construction work and installation of machineries for these units have also been completed. However, electrification of all these projects is yet to be done. Official sources said Wesco has been entrusted with the electrification work for these projects and the required funds were deposited by the Veterinary Department as per an estimate prepared by Wesco. The Wesco, on its part, has not completed the work till date and engaged contractors for the purpose who are only delaying the work. The Veterinary Department has now engaged the Orissa Small Industries Corporation Ltd to complete the electrification work.