In order to provide a quantum a jump to the rural economy, while
contributing to growth with equity, not only access to electricity per se,
but adequate availability, quality and reliability of energy in various
froms will have to be ensured. This was stated by Minister for
Non-Conventional Energy Sources, Shri Vilas B. Muttemwar while speaking at a
meeting on village energy security today. Use of locally available biomass
resources or plantations raised by the local communities can provide a
sustainable solution for meeting the total needs of our villages. It is
therefore, possible today to conceptualise a Programme for providing energy
security to our villages.
He informed that the Ministry of Non-Conventional Energy Sources (MNES) has
prepared an Outline Plan for such a comprehensive programme, which has not
so far been attempted in the country. The Minister informed that the
Programme will also create avenues for employment generation, full
participation of the local communities including women, and environmental
improvement leading to overall sustainable development.
Shri Muttemwar stated that providing energy access for meeting the
development needs and improving the quality of life in the rural areas will
be high on the Agenda of the new Government. Significant thrust will,
therefore, be given towards development of rural infrastructure. He
mentioned that the Concept Plan prepared by his Ministry on creating energy
security in the villages is extremely relevant in this context.
The Minister informed that, to start with, village energy projects will be
implemented in about 500 villages during this year. In the first phase,
however, the Ministry plans to take up projects in about two lakh forest
fringe and other remote villages. The total investment in the first phase
works out about Rs. 40,000 crore. In the longer term, the Programme can be
implemented in all the villages in the country. According to Concept Plan an
investment of Rs. 20 lakh can provide energy security to a village. Proposed
financing involves a one-time grant and soft loan @3% interest with
repayment spread over 10 years.
The task of electrification of remote villages through renewable energy has
been assigned to the Ministry of Non-Conventional Energy Sources. About
25,000 villages have already been identified in various States as remote
unelectrified villages. The Ministry has so far completed the
electrification of 1620 remote villages and 316 hamlets in 10 States.
Projects for electrification of 1460 remote villages and 712 hamlets are
under implementation. It is planned to cover 4000 remote villages during
the current year.
Shri Muttemwar was speaking at a meeting convened by the Ministry of
Non-Conventional Energy Sources with senior officials from several States to
discuss the approach and the Outline Plan towards achieving village energy
security and to identify villages in those States where project
implementation can be initiated this year itself. The meeting was attended
by Secretaries of the Energy and Rural Development Departments, Principal
Chief Conservators of Forests and Heads of State Nodal Agencies for
Non-Conventional Energy Sources. The officials evinced keen interest in the
new approach and agreed to take up a few projects in their States this year
itself as suggested by the Minister. The modalities and a Plan of Action
for initiating the projects were also discussed in the meeting.
(Release ID :1981)