Nearly 43,000 free power connections to BPL families

New Delhi, July 28 (UNI) As many as 42,745 free electricity connections have been provided to below poverty line (BPL) families under the Rajiv Gandhi Grameen Vidyutikaran Yojana (RGGVV) till July 14, Power Minister Sushil Kumar Shinde informed the Lok Sabha today.

Of these, Uttar Pradesh had been provided 21,334 connections, followed by Karnataka (12,268), West Bengal (4,937), Bihar (3,211) and Uttaranchal (997), Mr Shinde said during Question Hour.

He said 9,819 villages in the country had been electrified in 2005-06 against the target of 10,000.

In 2004-05, the villages electrified were only 3,884 against the target of 23,861.

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