Rural electrification gets renewed power

Lucknow: Chief minister Akhilesh Yadav's promise to provide 24 hours electricity to urban and 16 hours to rural areas by October last year reflected in Budget for UP's ailing power sector on Friday.
Allocation of Rs 11,900 crore was made for rural electrification. A budgetary provision of Rs 150 crore was made for energising tube wells of farmers and Rs 7,000 crore for separate feeders.
The government claimed availability of 21,000MW power to be wheeled into the state grid to meet the huge demand. UP is first non-BJP ruled state to implement Centre's 'Uday' scheme in which state government will have to take over loss of distribution companies and issue bonds to financial institutions.
State Budget announced financial assistance of Rs 39,909 crore for discoms under the scheme. tnn