Wednesday, October 8, 2008

Electricity Connections to about 41 lakh Rural Household under Rajiv Gandhi Grameen Vidyutikaran Yojana

Under the Rajiv Gandhi Grameen Vidyutikaran Yojana (RGGVY)50969 villages have been electrified as on September 15, 2008. Electricity connections have been provided to 40.95 lakh rural household, which includes free electricity connections to 33.7 lakh BPL households. The Government has so far released capital subsidy of Rs. 10,079.87 Crore, out of which Rs. 1,666.42 Crore has been released during 2008-09. 

Union Minister of Power, Shri Sushilkumar Shinde recently reviewed the progress under the scheme which was launched by Government of India in 2005 with an objective to electrify all the unelectrified villages in the country. Under the scheme, Government provides 90% capital subsidy for electricity distribution infrastructure and 100% subsidy for providing electricity connections to rural BPL households. A capital subsidy of Rs.33, 000 Crore has been provided for the same. 

27 States are participating under the scheme. The Ministry has so far sanctioned 558 projects covering 530 districts in these 27 states, which targets to electrify 1.15,523 villages and to provide electricity connection to 2.43 Crore BPL households. Out of these 558 projects, 323 projects have been sanctioned during 2008, of which 133 have been awarded. Special focus has been provided to village electrification in the states of North –East and J&K. Special attention is also being provided to districts and naxalite affected districts. 

The targets for 2008-09 are to electrify 25,000 villages and to provide electricity connections to 50 lakh BPL households. As on 15th September 2008, 3,143 villages have been electrified and free connections have been provided to 10.76 lakh BPL households. 

The Minister stated that now the emphasis of the Ministry is on creation of sub transmission infrastructure, addition of generation capacity by the states as part of their Rural Electrification Plan to meet the load growth, energization of created infrastructure and taking over of created assets under the scheme by the DISCOMs. 

Under the scheme, establishment of franchisees for management of rural distribution network has been made mandatory. Franchisees are already in place in 14 States covering 89.827 villages. The Ministry of Power has taken up capacity building programme for franchisees and training of trainers of franchisees.

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