RURAL ELECTRIFICATION
In 1947, only 1500 villages were electrified in India. The per capital consumption was 14 units. Rural electrification programmes:
- Rural Electrification under Minimum Needs Programme (MNP): It was started in 5th Five Year Plan with rural electrification as one of the components of the programme. Under this programme funds were provided as Central assistance to the states in the form of grants and loans. The scheme has been discontinued from 2004 and merged with the new scheme, Rajiv Gandhi Grameen Vidyutikaran Yojana.
- Pradhan Mantri Gramodaya Yojana (PMGY): It was launched in 2000-01 but rural electrification component was added in the next financial year 2001-02. It was being implemented by State Electricity Boards. Funds under the programme were provided to states as Additional Central Assistance. The Scheme has been discontinued from 2005-06 onwards.
- Kutir Joyti Scheme: It was launched in 1988-89 to provide single point light connections to households of rural families below the poverty line including harijans and adivasi families. This scheme has been now merged with RGGVY.
- Accelerated Rural Electrification Programme (AREP): It was introduced in 2003-04 under which interest subsidy of 4% was to be provided on loans availed by State Governments/Power Utilities from Financial Institutions for carrying out rural electrification programme.
- Accelerated Electrification of 1lakh villages and One crore households: It was introduced in 2004-05 by merging the interest subsidy Scheme – AREP (Accelerated Rural Electrification Programme) and Kutir Iyoti Programme. Under this scheme there was a provision for providing 40% capital subsidy for rural electrification projects and the balance as loan assistance on soft terms from REC. The scheme has now been merged with the new scheme RGGVY.
- Rajiv Gandhi Grameen Vidyutikaran Yojana (RGGVY): This Scheme of Rural Electricity Infrastructure and Household Electrification has been introduced in April, 2005 for achieving the National Common Minimum Programme objective of providing access to electricity to all rural Households over a period of four years. Rural Electrification Corporation (REC) is the nodal agency for the programme. Under this scheme 90% Capital Subsidy will be provided for rural electrification infrastructure through:
- Creation of Rural Electricity Distribution Backbone (REDB) with one 33/11 KV (or 66/11 KV) substation in every block where it does not exist.
- Creation of Village Electricity Infrastructure (VEI) for electrification of un- electrified villages/habitations and provision of distribution transformers of appropriate capacity in every village / habitation.
- Decentralized Distributed Generation (DDG) and Supply System from conventional sources for Villages/Habitations where grid supply is not much effective.
- All the states except Delhi & Goa have signed Agreements under RGGVY.
- CPSUs are implementing the scheme in 138 districts.
- Upto 31.01.2014, 1016 un-electrified villages have been electrified, 15,501 Partially electrified Villages have been intensively electrified and electricity connections to 7,557,513 BPL households have been released.
