Bihar, UP have maximum households without electricity among peers

Bihar and Uttar Pradesh (UP) have the maximum number of urban and rural households without electricity connection among peers.

According to latest available figures, the percentage of urban and rural households in Bihar without power connection stands at 33% and 87%, respectively. The corresponding figures for UP are 19% and 71%, respectively.

The two states are trailed by Assam, Jharkhand, Odisha, Meghalaya, Manipur and Madhya Pradesh (MP) in that order, although Meghalaya and MP have minimum number of urban households without power connection at 5% and 7%, respectively.

Quoting statistics based on Census 2011 and the official website of Deendayal Upadhyaya Gram Jyoti Yojana (DDUGJY) (www.ddugjy.in), All India Power Engineers Federation (AIPEF) chairman Shailendra Dubey said here today the figures had put a question mark on the claims of the central and state governments over providing 24×7 power supply to all in the near future.

He said according to a recent report by the Central Electricity Authority, India was expected to become ‘power surplus’ in 2016-17. “The data shows that the all-India ‘power deficit’ has gradually been easing. From 8.7% in 2012-13, the shortfall fell to 2.1% in 2015-16. While this is good news, it is not totally correct.”

Dubey said there were significant disparities in electricity connections in urban and rural areas across states. He added there were some states such as Gujarat and Maharashtra where access to power was surplus or almost universal.

“Some states such as Gujarat, Maharashtra, Punjab and Haryana have signed more than required number of Power Purchase Agreements (PPA) due to which the state-run power plants are forced to back down, while states like UP and Bihar are facing load shedding,” he underlined.

Since, power distribution companies (discoms) are not in a financial position to purchase costly surplus power. Meanwhile, AIPEF has demanded a holistic review of the country’s power policy.