Under Rajiv Gandhi Grameen Vidyutikaran Yojana (RGGVY), 576 projects targeting electrification of 1.10 lakh un/de-electrified villages and release of  electricity connections to 2.33 crore BPL households have been sanctioned in the country. Cumulatively, the electrification works in 98,612 un/de-electrified villages have been completed and electricity connections to about 1.69 crore BPL households have been released, as on 31.07.2011.  The Bharat Nirman target for RGGVY is to electrify 1.00 lakh un-electrified villages and release of connections to 1.75 lakh BPL households by March, 2012.  The details of coverage and achievement of electrification of un/de-electrified villages and release of BPL connection is at Annexure.

            There have been some delays in some States in execution of the projects mainly for the following reasons:

i)        Delay in forest clearance for the land proposals required for execution of the Projects in some States;

ii)       Delay in land acquisition for 33/11 KV sub-stations by States;

iii)      Delay in issuance of road permit and way bills in some States;

iv)     Delay in finalization of BPL lists by some States;

v)      Delay in taking decision to waive state and local taxes on line materials by some States;

vi)     Difficult terrain in some States; and

vii)    Left Wing Extremism problems  in some of the districts in some States.

       The Government has taken following steps to speed up the electrification of villages in the country under RGGVY:    

i)          Government of India has set up an inter-Ministerial Monitoring Committee under the Chairmanship of Secretary (Power) which periodically meets to sanction projects and review progress of implementation.

ii)         States have been advised to set up district committees to monitor the progress of rural electrification works. All the states have notified formation of district committees.

iii)       The States have also been requested to hold monthly meeting of Coordination Committee under the Chairmanship of Chief Secretary to resolve the bottlenecks in implementation of RGGVY.

iv)      The Government of India and Rural Electrification Corporation (REC), the nodal agency for RGGVY, conduct frequent review meetings with all the stakeholders; the concerned State Governments, state power utilities and implementing agencies for expeditious implementation of the scheme as per the agreed schedule.

v)        For speedier and effective implementation of projects, their execution has been taken up on turnkey basis by the Implementing Agencies.

vi)      Wherever there is delay in forest clearance / Railway clearances etc. requiring inter-ministerial interventions, the matters are taken up with concerned departments / agencies at different levels to expedite the issue of necessary clearances.

This information was given by Shri K.C.Venugopal, the Minister of State for Power in a written reply to a question in Rajya Sabha today.

Annexure

State-wise coverage and achievements of electrification of un/de-electrified villages and release of BPL connections for the sanctioned projects under RGGVY: