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Srinagar, Aug 23 (UNI) The Jammu and Kashmir government today said it was committed to providing electricity in all the villages of the state under the Rajiv Gandhi Gramin Vidhyuti Karan Yojna (RGGVY) by next three years.

Replying to a question by member Mohammad Aslam Khan in the state Legislative Assembly during question hour, Power Minister Nawang Rigzin Zora said the funds for restoration of damaged infrastructure in Rajouri district have been rejected under Calamity Relief Fund.

The restoration work would be carried out in the district as per the availability of funds under various schemes, he added.

Under RGGVY, the Minister said Rs 48 crore were being spent in Anantnag district while Rs 19.26 crore in Pulwama. In Kathua district, Rs 32 crore were being spent under the scheme, he added.

Mr Zora said under APDRP, the state has been provided Rs 509 crore out of Rs 11,000 crore for replacement of 24,000 electric poles. The state received Rs 705 crore under the Prime Minister's Reconstruction Programme (PMRP) and project worth Rs 1035 crore has been submitted to the central government, he added.

Replying to another question by member Girdhari Lal, Mr Zora said the infrastructure required for energising pump sets in Hiranagar was being augmented in a phased manner as per availability of funds.

At present, two rural electrification schemes -- Barnoti and Hiranagar-Chogwal -- were under implementation with an estimated cost of more than Rs 2.23 crore and Rs 1.57 crore respectively for energising 914 irrigation pump sets, he added.

The Minister said a new scheme has been formulated for energising 3178 more pump sets in Hiranagar constituency and was in the process of technical clearance.

Replying to supplementaries of members Sham Lal Sharma and Gharu Ram, he said for providing electricity to 25,000-irrigation pump sets in Akhnoor, a Rs 6.20 crore scheme was being prepared.

Mr Zora informed the House that the existing HT-LT network in Wachi constituency was being improved in a phased manner under various schemes, including APDRP.

During 2006-07, one 6.3 MVA transformer of Reshipora receiving station developed a technical snag and was shifted for repairs, the Minister said, adding one additional 3.15 MVA power transformer was installed at Reshipora as a stop gap arrangement.

Replying to another question by Mohammad Khalil Naik, he said 31 villages of Wachi constituency were being brought under RGGVY.

Mr Zora said non-electrified areas of Kupwara would be covered under RGGVY very soon as the scheme has already been sanctioned for the district. 132 KV line in Poonch district would be completed by December this year, he added.

The Minister also replied to supplementaries by Mir Saifullah, A R Veeri, M A Bukhari, Rachpal Singh, G M Saroori, Abdul Majid Wani, Mir Zahoor, Abdul Rahim Rather, Syed Bashir Ahmad, Mian Altaf Ahmad, Yashpal Kundal, Ghulam Ahmad Mir, Ashwani Kumar, Ms Kanta Andotra and Ms Suman Lata.

UNI