Centre asks Bihar govt to expedite rural electrification

Patna: In line with its vision to provide “24x7 affordable and environment-friendly power to all”, the Centre on Friday asked the Bihar government to step up rural electrification and ensure that power reaches every home in the state. “We are requesting the state government to expedite rural electrification which has long been overdue. The Centre will fund the initiative.The state should also encourage APL families to take power connection,” Union power, coal and new and renewable energy minister Piyush Goyal said while taking questions from Bihar-based journalists through video-conferencing during a press meet in Delhi on Friday.
As per the data provided by Rural Electrification Corporation, there were 2,747 unelectrified villages in Bihar in April 2015 of which 1,824 or 66% villages have been electrified till date. In all, 923 villages are yet to get power connection in the state and the Union government has extended the deadline for total electrification by one year to May 2017.
The press meet was organised to highlight the achievements and initiatives of the Union ministry of power, coal and new and renewable energy in the last two years. “We have allocated new funds under Integrated Power Development Scheme and Deen Dayal Upadhyaya Gram Jyoti Yojana for Bihar even though the earlier funds are yet to be utilised completely,” he added.
The minister also trashed reports that Bihar was not getting its due supply from central allocation and said he will give required power to the state. “Barh Super Thermal Power Station is not running in full capacity because the state does not have that much demand. If the demand rises, we will fulfil it from the Barh plant,” Goyal said.
With regard to affordable power, Goyal said the coal linkage of Barh plant was changed to reduce the cost by Rs 2 per unit. The tech-savvy minister then opened the Vidyut Pravas app and said, “It is 1.09pm right now and power is available for Rs 2.38 per unit for Bihar to buy. However, as per the data provided by the state on Thursday, there was no shortage of power in the peak hour.”
On extending agreement for NHPC’s Pirpainti power plant project, Goyal said, “The state government has written to us and we are in talks with the Union finance ministry in this regard.” Asked about extension of NTPC’s Kajra power plant agreement, he said energy is available at very competitive rates for Bihar to buy but if the state government wants, it can be extended.
Goyal said the Centre will approve any proposal sent by the Bihar government for harnessing solar power.