OREDA to electrify 1000 inaccessible villages this year
Orissa may have the most number of un-electrified villages in the country after Jharkhand but the state is upbeat on meeting the target for electrification of all its villages by December 2011.
“We are upbeat on electrification of all villages in the state by December 2011. The Orissa Renewable Energy Development Agency (OREDA) will electrify around 1000 inaccessible villages this year”, an official source told Business Standard.
It may be noted that out of 47,529 villages (2001 census) of the state, only 29,735 villages have been electrified by the end of April this year, as per the data of the Central Electricity Authority (CEA).
With 17,794 villages yet to be electrified, Orissa is only next to Jharkhand (20,231 un-electrified villages) in having the most number of un-electrified villages in the country.
Presently, the rural electrification work is being taken up under the Centrally sponsored Rajiv Gandhi Grameen Vidyutikaran Yojana (RGGVY) and the Biju Gram Jyoti Yojana (BGJY).
It may be noted that the delay in the preparation of final BPL (Below Poverty Line) list has excluded more than 10 lakh BPL families in the state from RGGVY.
“Presently, there are 44 lakh BPL families in the state out of which 32 lakh such families will be brought under the RGGVY as per the previous BPL list. We have requested the Centre to bring 8.5 lakh more families under RGGVY. Under BGJY, we have targeted to electrify two lakh BPL families”, added the source.
