Maharashtra govt to spend Rs 7,300 crore to repair electricity network, claims no maintenance work done in 30 years

Mumbai: The Maharashtra government has prepared a plan to repair the electricity poles, wires, and other systems at a cost of Rs 7,300 crore, Energy Minister Chandrashekhar Bawankule said.

The minister, while replying to a query in the Legislative Assembly in Nagpur on Friday, claimed that the maintenance of electricity poles, wires and other systems had not been carried out in the last 30 years.

“The department has selected 21,000 accident-prone spots and immediate repairs will be taken up there to avoid any loss of life and property,” he said.

He added that Rs 4 lakh compensation is given to the kin of electricity-related accident victims as per the rehabilitation department of the government and that the injured are given the complete expenses of their medication.

“To claim the compensation, signature of the head of the rural hospital will be sufficient for the incidents occuring in rural areas,” he said.

The minister added that the cheque of the relief amount to the kin of the deceased is given within seven days, while those injured are paid in three months.

Divisional directors have been authorised to deal with cases at local level, Bawankule said.

In response to another query, he said the current demand of power in the state is 14,400 megawatts and the supply is being made as per the demand.