Solar lights of Jammu & Kashmir Authority light up files more than families
Mudasir Ali, Srinagar, Sept 23, 2007
Source: GreaterKashmir.com
http://www.greaterkashmir.com/full_story.asp?Date=24_9_2007&ItemID=17&cat=5
A study by Directorate of Economics and Statistics has discovered chinks in the distribution of solar domestic lights in rural areas of Varmul under Photolitic Technology Distribution System (PTDS) by the rural development authority (RDA). The PTDS was introduced by the Jammu and Kashmir Energy Development Authority (JKEDA) in the state to ‘bridge the gap’ between demand and supply of electricity in the rural areas.
The study says: “Many beneficiaries chosen by the department to study the impact of the distribution program of solar domestic lights were surprised to know that the devices had been shown issued in their favor and received by them in the records, when actually they had not received the same.”
The DES had set up a State Level Evaluation Committee (SLEC) to evaluate the success of the PTDS in seven border blocks of Varmul. Tangmarg and Rohama blocks of Varmul were chosen for study by the DES after the implementing department had claimed 100 percent achievement in physical targets. “In Tangmarg 14 out of 37 sampled from different villages of Varmul had not received the solar domestic lights while as the Block Development Office (BDO) had shown them in the beneficiary list,” the study said.
The study said awareness about the implementation of the scheme in the villages was un-satisfactory. “While seventy percent of beneficiaries were unaware about the implementation of the scheme common masses of the villages were unaware about the scheme,” the study said.
In order to know the extent of poor distribution of solar domestic lights in Tangmarg, the SLEC, the study said, took a village Sawan as a case study on random basis to verify about the patterns of distribution. “The BDO had claimed that the whole village was covered under the scheme but the evaluation team was surprised to find that the village has not been provided with a single domestic light. This reveals the extent of unfair distribution of solar domestic lights in the block,” the study said adding that this clearly indicated that the monitoring and supervision system of the scheme was very weak and needed to be strengthened.
The study said for ensuring fair distribution of solar lights to deserving people, the distribution should necessarily be carried out jointly by JAKEDA and block functionaries. “For any misappropriation of the scheme the JAKEDA are being the basic implementing agency is equally responsible and should explore means and possibilities to ensure transparency in the distribution system. Shifting the responsibility of malpractice on other departments id unacceptable particularly when the department itself happens to be the implementing agency of the scheme,” the DES authorities had suggested in the study report.
The distribution of the solar lights in the Rohama block, the study said, however appears fair as 29 out of 30 ‘beneficiaries’ reported to have received the solar lights. “But the awareness about the implementation of the scheme in the villages was unsatisfactory. More than 17 percent of the beneficiaries reported that the devices had turned non-functional. The main reason for devices turning defunct was lack of training to the beneficiaries,” the study said.
The study said after sale support of the implementing department in terms of providing necessary training and repair facility to the beneficiaries has been weak. “Most of the beneficiaries reported that they were not imparted training for operating the devices. Even in case of minor faults with the lights the beneficiaries reported that they had to wait for months together for the officials of the SC and Tec department to repair them or has to get it repaired by themselves in the market,” the study said.
According to the study people had to wait for long duration for unknown reasons to get the solar lights. “On average it took more than six months to the beneficiaries to get the solar lights, which is a matter of concern,” the study adding. “Forty percent of beneficiaries pleaded for more subsidy in the scheme keeping in view the fact that they belonged to Below Poverty Line category.”