AP govt urges Centre to sanction 2 mn free power connections

The Andhra Pradesh government has requested the Union ministry of power to arrange for sanctioning free domestic power connections to around 2 million eligible below poverty line (BPL) consumers under the Rajiv Gandhi Grameena Vidyuthikarana Yojana (RGGVY) programme during the 12th Plan period.

With an aim to provide access to electricity to all balance households in the state, the government has also asked the Centre to initiate electrification of balanced tribal habitations, SC colonies and weaker section colonies.

In a press release on Sunday, the state energy department said the power utilities had already electrified over 2.6 million BPL rural households during the 10th and 11th Plans up to November this year under the RGGVY programme.

The Union ministry has agreed to the proposal of the state government for continuation of the funding pattern of 90:10 (90 per cent central government and 10 per cent state) for the implementation of the RGGVY programme even during the 12th Plan and recommended the same to the Planning Commission, it said.

“Apart from providing tariff subsidy of Rs 4,300 crore, the government has accorded permission for mobilisation of funds to the tune of Rs 4,000 crore in the form of AP Power Bonds towards clearance of additional power purchases,” said Dinesh Reddy, principal secretary (energy department).

Though the state’s installed generation capacity doubled in the past decade, it is unable to meet the power requirement due to unprecedented increase in power demand, shortage of coal and natural gas, dry spell and reduced inflows into hydel reservoirs, environmental problems, and availability of transmission corridor problem.

“All these factors put together created severe shortage for power, under inevitable circumstances the power utilities are forced to impose power restrictions/cuts though it is very painful to the utilities also. Since the 500-Mw Bhupalpalli thermal unit is also restored, the utilities have reduced power cuts for the domestic sector so as to provide relief to the consumers,” he added.