THE MINISTER OF INFORMATION & BROADCASTING AND MINISTER OF PARLIAMENTARY AFFAIRS(SHRI PRIYA RANJAN DASMUNSI)
(a) & (b) : No, Sir.
(c) : No village has been identified/electrified for electrification through World Bank assistance. There are 1,18,750 un-electrified villages as per 2001 census in the entire country which are to be electrified.
In West Bengal around 6,240 villages are un-electrified as per 2001
census.
(d) : The Government of India in April, 2005 introduced `Rajiv Gandhi
Grameen Vidyutikaran Yojana` (RGGVY) for providing access to electricity to all rural
households in the entire country by the year 2009. The scheme covers electrification of all the villages in the country except the villages under the programme of Ministry of Non-conventional Sources (MNES) for providing electricity from non-conventional
energy sources under their remote village electrification programme.
Under this scheme 90% Capital Subsidy of the project cost will be provided for:-
1. Rural Electricity Distribution Backbone (REDB)
Provision of 33/11 KV (or 66/11 KV) sub-stations of adequate capacity and lines
in blocks where these do not exist.
2. Creation of Village Electrification Infrastructure (VEI)
Electrification of un-electrified villages, Electrification of un-electrified
habitations & Provision of distribution transformers of appropriate capacity in
electrified villages / habitation(s)
3. Decentralised Distributed Generation (DDG) and Supply
Decentralised generation-cum-distribution from conventional sources for villages
where grid connectivity is either not feasible or not cost effective provided it is
not covered under the programme of Ministry of Non-conventional Energy
Sources for providing electricity from non-conventional energy sources under
their remote village electrification programme.
The scheme inter-alia provides for financing of electrification of all un-electrified
Below Poverty Line (BPL) households in the country with 100% capital subsidy.
West Bengal has entered into agreement with Rural Electrification Corporation
Ltd. (REC) and Central Power Sector Undertakings (CPSU) for implementing the
RGGVY for rural electrification. Out of total 18 districts of West Bengal, proposals have been received for 13 districts, all of which have been approved by REC. Notice Inviting Tenders (NITs) have been issued for projects of 12 districts and awards have been placed for 11 districts. These projects for 13 districts will electrify 4283 un-electrified villages and 145918 un-electrified rural households of which 97847 are Below Poverty Line (BPL).
The Action Plan during the Tenth Plan Period for rural electrification in the entire country under RGGVY is as below:
Number of villages targeted for electrification during 2005-06 - 10,000
Number of villages targeted for electrification during 2006-07 - 40,000