The Hindu : Scheme for fillip to rural electrification

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Sunday, Mar 17, 2002

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Scheme for fillip to rural electrification

By Our Special Correspondent

CHANDIGARH MARCH. 16 . The Union Power Minister,Suresh Prabhu, yesterday disclosed that the Union Finance Minister, Yashwant Sinha, had prepared a new scheme to provide subsidy on interest to States which undertake development works of rural electrification.

He also directed the Rural Electrification Corporation Chairman,Dewakar Dev, to introduce new schemes for upgradation of rural electrification and management of demand in rural areas to conserve electricity in fast-developing States like Haryana and Punjab.

Speaking after laying the foundation stone of the office complex of the Rural Electrification Corporation (REC) at Panchkula near here, Mr.Prabhu complemented the Haryana Chief Minister, Om Prakash Chautala, for bringing about a significant improvement in the power sector.

He said that Haryana had adopted power sector reforms very quickly and hoped that it would emerge as a model State for the rest of the country. There was a need for a model State, he added.

He thanked Mr.Chautala for allotting land to the REC in Panchkula and hoped that it would prove a step forward in strengthening rural electrification in Haryana.

He also hoped that the new scheme -- Pradhanmantri Gramodya Yojna -- would play a vital role in electrifying all villages in the country.

The Union Minister of State for Power,Jayawantibehn Mehta, also appreciated the steps being taken by the Haryana Government to check power losses and reduce power tariff.

She said a target had been fixed for total rural electrification by the year 2007 and supply of electricity to all households in villages by 2012.

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