All villages to be electrified by 2009: Shinde

Jalandhar, Oct 28 (UNI) All villages of the country will be electrified by 2009, Union Energy Minister Sushil Kumar Shinde said here tonight.

Talking to reporters Mr Shinde said that present UPA Government at the Centre under the leadership of Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and UPA Chairperson Sonia Gandhi, had been implementing the ambitious Rajiv Gandhi Rural Electrification Programme, which envisaged electrication of all villages by 2009.

He said that the Prime Minister and UPA chairperson had already conveyed their desire for top priority to resolution of prevailing power shortage in the country.

The government wanted to improve per capita power consumption in the country from present 660 units to 1000 units by 2012, Mr Shinde added.

UNI SS VD VC/RK2235