According to highly placed sources, Energy Minister Kaushik Patel reviewed the rural electrification programme and the tatkal scheme with Board chairman Nalin Bhatt and Member (Administration) S K Nanda on Monday night.

Instructions were issued to purchase poles, brackets and other equipment on annual rate contract system and the proposals are likely to be taken up in the next meeting. This is aimed at reducing the long administrative process of inviting separate tenders for various items.

Sources said in the tatkal scheme, the Board has started maintaining what it termed as ``pending list''. Next person on the list will replace the person, who has defaulted in payment of amount despite being given an estimate.

The Board had set a target of giving 15,000 connections to farmers on a priority basis under this scheme and had given 1,000 connections.

Meanwhile, in a bid to curb power theft, the Board has started survey of electricity connections of the farmers. ``The survey is aimed at assessing whether the farmers are pilfering power or they have reduced the electricity load due to downfall in production,'' sources said.

In another development, the Indian Oil Corporation (IOC) has been sending additional quantity of Residual Fuel Oil (RFO) at the Dhuvaran and Gandhingar power stations of the Board. According to an official Board release, extra RFO is sent as it is apparently in excess quantity.

While earlier the Board had to pay in advance for the RFO, here the IOC giving the fuel without charges. Board sources said if the RFO was not utilised other products of the IOC like petrol could be affected. The RFO is a by-product.

According to Board spokesman, the situation in the IOC was likely to return to normal in over a month's time. The GEB's 240 MW Dhuvaran plant consumes 2,800 tonnes of RFO daily and the rest of the units in state nearly 2,800 tonnes per month. He said currently the entire quantity of RFO could not be used as one 120 MW plant at Dhuvaran was under maintenance. It is likely to restart in a month.