4 holy cities in UP to get 24-hour power supply: Sharma

Mathura: The four holy cities of the Hindus- Ayodhya, Mathura, Varanasi and Gorakhpur - are set to enjoy 24 X 7 power supply in the regime of new Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath.

"Mathura, Varanasi, Ayodhya and Gorakhpur would now remain free from power cut and round the clock power would be ensured in order to facilitate scores of pilgrims coming to these districts," state's Power Minister Shrikant Sharma said here on Saturday.

He said his department was committed to providing round the clock power supply in rest of the state by 2019.

The officers of power department have been instructed to rectify existing defects within a fortnight, Sharma stated, adding the old transformers would also be changed.

"Now money would not be a constraint as government has opened free power connection to people falling under BPL category", Sharma added.

He said Prime Minister Narendra Modi has given a strong chief minister to UP in Adityanath, who is committed to providing better administration with stress on development.

He said for a speedy solution of the people's grievances, "File index system has been introduced, making it obligatory to solve problems within a week, failing which stern action against officers concerned would be taken."

On the anti-romeo squad, he said," Any teasing or misbehaviour towards girls would not be tolerated," and warned that its misuse would also invite punitive action.

Addressing the officers in a meeting at collectorate here, he instructed them to ensure schemes meant for poor should reach them, and also provide free medicines to patients in district hospitals.

There would be "zero tolerance" on corruption, Sharma added in the meeting.

In the meeting, Sharma in a bid to curb corruption directed officials to start "e-tendering" system and preparing a citizen charter for transparency and timely disposing of files.