The nationwide rural electrification
programme Rajiv Gandhi Grameen
Vidyutiaran Yojana may miss its
target for 2011-12, given the slow pace of
work. The overall progress of RGGVY in
the first three quarters is electrification of
4,355 villages against the target of 9,300
villages and 19.61 lakh BPL households
have been given electric connections
against the target of 33 lakh.
As far as non-electrified villages is
concerned, only 30 per cent villages
have been electrified by January-end of
the annual target of 14,500. About 90
per cent of the non-electrified villages
are in Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Bihar,
Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand, Manipur,
Meghalaya and Orissa. With respect to
energizing of villages, 12,385 villages
are yet to be energized out of which
9,708 villages are in the projects under
implementation by Central utilities.
In view of the slow pace of works,
Planning Commission Member (Energy)
B K Chaturvedi has asked the power
ministry to pursue the RGGVY targets
vigorously. He has asked the power
ministry for a state-wise firm commitment
for electrification. He stated that at least
922, 500, 600 and 600 villages must be
electrified in the states of Assam, Bihar,
Orissa and Jharkhand respectively by the
end of March. The Member Energy has
also desired to focus on these villages and
bring down the number of existing 10,968
non-electrified villages to 8,000 in these
states. For energizing villages, he
mentioned that the gap of 12,385 villages
should be brought down to 8,000 by end
of March 2012.
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