Ranchi, July 19: Arjun Munda today ordered repair of the state’s roads in view of the damage done by monsoon showers, promising to float tenders and complete formalities by August to kick-start work.
At a review meeting, the chief minister, who holds the road construction portfolio, also entitled assistant engineers to park requisite amounts in their bank accounts to make sure repair work did not suffer from paucity of funds.
Munda also asked local bodies to prevent seepage of water drain onto the roads and stressed on discouraging haphazard plantation of trees along roads.
He pointed out that law and order problems in Gumla, Hazaribagh and Dumka had hampered road construction.
He stressed on the need to set up a panel of consultants for technical expertise. A land acquisition officer will be appointed in the road construction department. Munda also pushed for preparation of detailed project reports of flyovers in Ranchi and the bridge over Ganga in Sahebganj.
The government will also write to the Union home ministry to release funds for the construction 22 vital roads in Naxalite-hit areas. These schemes were approved by the Centre in 2005, but ground work has not begun due to dearth of funds.
Reviewing the energy department, Munda approved a proposal to enter into franchise agreements with private companies for distribution of electricity. The chief minister maintained that Units III and X of Patratu Thermal Power Station would resume operations in November and generate 100MW electricity.
He also ordered setting up of 132/33KV power substations in Daltonganj, Latehar and Kanke to improve the transmission network.
Electrification of 1,244 villages, whose contract was originally awarded to Railway India Technical and Economic Services, will now be carried out by JSEB.
with the state government’s assistance.
Munda also focused on utilising alternate sources of energy, especially solar power. “In Jharkhand, the sky remains clear for around 220 days a year. We need to prepare concrete plans to utilise solar energy,” he said.
