55K schools in UP still don’t have power connections

Principal secy tells edu dept officials, DMs to ensure connections in all these schools

LUCKNOW: Making a mockery of the government’s claims about providing power connections to all households in the state, the department of education seems to have forgotten to give connections to 55,000 primary and junior high schools in UP.

As a result, lakhs of students in these schools are forced to attend classes sans power.

Principal secretary, department of energy, Alok Kumar has written to officials of education department and district magistrates to ensure connections in all these schools.

He expressed anger over the laxity of education department officials who have never thought of taking power connections.

The fact was highlighted when the Election Commission of India held a meeting of officials to finalise the polling centres in the state.

During the meeting, it was pointed out that these 55,000 government schools didn’t have power connections and it was nearly impossible for the staff to work during summers.

On this, principal secretary (energy) directed the officials of education department to deposit the money for power connections and directed the district magistrates concerned to ensure that the officials follow the directive.

Principal secretary (energy) Alok Kumar said, “I have directed the UPPCL to start a drive to give power connections to these schools immediately.”

It is pertinent to mention here that the state government is giving free connections to every household in every village of the state under the ‘Saubhagya’ scheme, but has missed out these 55,000 schools where the future of country is educated, said Avadhesh Kumar Varma, chairman, Uttar Pradesh Power Consumers’ Association.

“The education department has the budget, but they spend it on worthless things. If schools don’t have power connections, then they can’t have infrastructure like fans, submersible pumps for water and students are forced to study without power, which is barbaric,” he said.

“Such officials must be punished, if they fail to give proper reasons for their failure to seek power connections,” he added.