The Hindu Business Line : Programme to electrify all rural households in AP

The programme is being taken up as part of the Rajiv Gandhi Grameen Vidyutikaran Yojana (RGGVY) launched by the Union Government. This scheme aims at providing all households access to electricity in the country by 2009.

The State Government had sent detailed project reports for taking up electrification in habitations and households that were not connected so far in 22 districts.

This was a follow-up after the State Government, Rural Electrification Corporation (REC) and power utilities signed an agreement last month.

In order to complete the project in three years, the Chief Minister, Dr Y.S. Rajasekhara Reddy, wrote to Mr P.M. Sayeed, Union Minister for Power, seeking immediate sanction and clearance of the assistance from the REC.

The RGGVY was launched by the Prime Minister this April.

The Andhra Pradesh Government drew a plan to cover the habitations in two years, while giving access to all the uncovered households in three years.

The programme involved electrification of 13,000 habitations and 43.36 lakh households besides erection of twenty three 33/11 kV sub-stations in one year, a Government release said here on Sunday.

"These will be set up in one year in order to create the basic infrastructure for the project," the release said. The number of rural households proposed to be covered under the scheme are as follows: Eastern Power Distribution Company Ltd — 12.94 lakh (Srikakulam, Vizianagaram, Visakhapatnam, East Godavari and West Godavari); Southern Power Distribution Company — 8.39 lakh (Krishna, Guntur, Prakasam, Nellore, Chittoor and Kadapa); Central Power Distribution Company — 12.08 lakh (Anantapur, Kurnool, Mahboobnagar, Nalgonda, Medak, Ranga Reddy and Hyderabad); and Northern Power Distribution Company — 9.94 lakh (Warangal, Karimnagar, Khammam, Nizamabad, Adilabad).

In a separate letter, the Chief Minister wanted the Union Minister to get the release funds for the implementation of High-Voltage Distribution System (HVDS). This would help ensure reduction of losses and to provide quality and reliability power supply to rural areas.

He sought early release of the first component of Rs 790 crore from the REC.

In the first phase, HVDS would be implemented in seven districts of Chittoor, Kadapa, Anantapur, Mahboobnagar, Nalgonda, Nizamabad and Karimnagar. These districts house nearly 11 lakh agricultural pump sets.

The total project was put at Rs 3032 crore. Of this, REC agreed to contribute Rs 2,729 crore, constituting 90 per cent of the total cost.

The State Government had sent reports for works worth Rs 790 crore.

Article E-Mail :: Comment :: Syndication :: Printer Friendly Page