Patna: The Bihar government has given a no-objection certificate for releasing 2004 batch IAS officer R. Lakshmanan on central deputation.

Lakshmanan, who was posted as managing director, South Bihar Power Distribution Company, is likely to be made executive director of the Rural Electrification Corporation Ltd.

"The state government gave consent for Lakshmanan's central deputation a few days ago and the Centre has been informed about the decision. We are hoping his posting at the Centre will be notified soon after the formalities are completed," a senior Bihar official told The Telegraph on Monday.

Sources in the Rural Electrification Corporation said the Centre wanted to have Lakshmanan's service as its Saubhagya scheme entered the last leg. A large number of households are still waiting for power connection under the scheme that entails electricity for all households by March 2019.

"A total of 2.39 crore households needs to be electrified in seven-and-a-half months and the Rural Electrification Corporation wants to use Lakshmanan's experience in distribution work to accomplish the task," a source in the rural corporation said.

As managing director of the South Bihar Power Distribution Company and director, administration, Bihar State Power Holding Company, Lakshmanan had played an important role in providing impetus to village electrification and household electrification work in Bihar.

The Union government's Saubhagya scheme was announced in September 2017 and rolled out that October. At that time 3.49 crore households had to be electrified and now, 1.1 crore of them have been provided electricity connections.

The Rural Electrification Corporation official pointed out that the toughest challenge was in Uttar Pradesh where about 1.27 crore households still need power, followed by Odisha (18.98 lakh) and Assam (19.52 lakh).

Bihar has set a December 2018 deadline for cent per cent household electrification and is progressing well. As of Monday, 92.14 per cent of households have been electrified.

All households in 17 districts have been electrified with seven more likely to be added this month.

Asked if Lakshmanan's departure will affect the pace of household electrification work in Bihar, energy minister Bijendra Prasad Yadav said: "He is going to the Rural Electrification Corporation and several of its projects are being implemented in Bihar too. His presence there would help us."

The minister also said another official will be deputed in the power company soon and the household electrification target will be achieved without problems.