A burnt transformer. Picture by Deepak Kumar

Patna, May 25: Members of the Assembly and the Council can now recommend replacement of burnt transformers — quite common in summer months — in their area under the Chief Minister’s Area Development Scheme.

The decision would ensure fast relief to thousands of residents, especially villagers, with promise of transformer replacement within 24 hours in urban areas and within 72 hours in the rural ones.

“The proposal, which was sent to the government to include the replacement of burnt transformers in the list of work to be undertaken under the Chief Minister’s Area Development Scheme, has been sanctioned. This would pave the way for smooth and faster replacement of burnt transformers,” energy minister Bijendra Prasad Yadav said.

Usually, the villagers have to bear the brunt of living without power once a transformer is burnt as there is no takers of their grievances even at the level of power company — Bihar State Power (Holding) Company Ltd.

Under the Chief Minister’s Area Development Scheme, a member of the Assembly or the Council can recommend work of up to Rs 1 crore in his/her constituency.

Last month, the state government ordered that MPs could recommend the purchase of transformers from their local area development fund. In fact, chief minister Nitish Kumar, on several occasions, directed his officials to get the burnt transformers as soon as possible. Besides, Nitish, in his last year’s Independence Day speech, promised that he would not seek votes in the Assembly elections again if he failed to provide power to every household by 2015.

The replacement of burnt transformers from which a consumer draws power supply to their household or premises holds the key in strengthening of distribution network. Following the chief minister’s stern directive to tone up the distribution network, especially the transformer part, the government plans to take up several measures to improve the overall situation in the state vis-à-vis availability of transformers.

The power holding company has floated tenders for constructing 13 new transformer repairing workshops besides the existing seven, deputy general manager (PR) H.R. Pandey said.