Rural Electrification Corp grants 85 cr to K'taka

Bangalore, Sep 2 (UNI) The Rural Electrification Corporation has granted Rs 85 crore to Karnataka under the Rajiv Gandhi Grameen Vidhyutikaran Yojana (RGGVY) to be taken up at a cost of Rs 612 crore in 26 districts in the state, Mr Vidya Sagaar Executive Director Rural Electrification Corporation (REC) said today.

Speaking at a media workshop on ' Bharat Nirman - Rural Electrification and Power Sector Reforms' organised by the Press Information Bureau at Yelahanka, Mr Sagar has said that the fund would be released to the five electricity supply companies in the state.

The grants released from the REC would be utilised for improving infrastructure facilities in habitations which had no access to electricity.

He said the RGGVY had set a target to provide electricity access to over 40,000 villages this year across the country and already over 14,000 villages have been covered.

Mr Sagar said REC was encouraging franchise model to manage the distribution system at the grassroot level and over 30,000 villages across the country were brought under this scheme. He said the management of distribution network, collection of revenues and also repair of minor in nature would be entrusted to these franchisees for the effective operation of electricity supply.

He said the the franchises system is also gaining popularity in Karnataka, West Bengal, Uttaranchal and Uttar Pradesh.

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