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VOICE OF ELECTRICITY WORKERS
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RURAL POWER
PLAN NOT VIABLE, SAYS PLAN PANEL |
The Planning Commission has faulted the ambitious Rs 16,000 crore Rajiv Gandhi
Grameen Vidyutikaran Yojana as being economically unviable and expressed its
concerns to the power ministry.
Stating that the scheme does not meet the objectives of the National Common
Minimum Programme, the Plan panel has highlighted several critical issues
pertaining to the scheme.
“We are concerned about the progress of the scheme,” a top planning commission
official said.
Pointing out that the revenue model for the scheme is not sustainable, the Plan
panel said there was a disconnect between the power ministry’s own objectives
and the Plan target.
“The ministry’s programme in its current form will create two classes of users.
This is unsustainable,” officials added.
The scheme has not witnessed the desired amount of progress as was earmarked for
2005-06. Out of 10,846 villages scheduled to be covered in 2005-06, only 1,941
villages have been covered so far.
The Plan panel has also observed that the scheme does not have stakeholders
participation, a strong local institutional framework and lacks bundling of
rural services like electricity, water and health, nutrition, education, telecom
and housing, along with increasing non-pumping productive loads as a component
of rural electrification as parameters of success.
These parameters have been incorporated internationally for a successful
regional electrification programme. Even the National Advisory Council had
raised doubts about the scheme’s workability.
The plan targets for 2005-06 under the yojana aim at electrification of 60 lakh
households, including 17.88 lakh below poverty line (BPL) households.
However, the power ministry’s targets only 10,846 villages for the corresponding
period.
The scheme is being implemented through Rural Electrification Corporation where
the central government provides for 90 per cent of the capital cost of the
programme.
The scheme launched in April 2005 aims to provide electricity access to 7.8
crore rural households in five years and electrify all 2.34 crore BPL
households. Out of the Rs 5,000 crore sanctioned by the Cabinet for the scheme,
Rs 1,100 crore was allocated for 2005-06 and Rs 3,200 crore for 2006-07.
Courtesy: Business Standard
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