70,689 villages electrified under RGGVY: Shinde

New Delhi, Feb 7 (UNI) Power Minister Sushil Kumar Shinde today said that 45,602 un-electrified villages have been electrified while another 25,087 villages have been intensively electrified.

''The government approved capital subsidy of Rs 5,000 crore in the tenth plan and has sanctioned Rs 28,000 crores as capital subsidy on January 3, 2008 under continuation of Rajiv Gandhi Grameen Vidyutikaran Yojna (RGGVY)'' Mr Shinde told reporters here.

The governement has also sanctioned electrification of habitation with a population of 100 which earlier was limited to habitatiions with 300 or more people. Also, it has been made compulsary to supply minimum six to eight hours power supply to villages electrified under RGGVY, Mr Shinde added.

''In the 11th plan, the cost norm for giving free connection to BPL families has been raised to Rs 2,200 per connection from Rs 1,500 and all the districts of the North East, border districts and disturbed districts will be taken up under the scheme on priority,'' Mr Shinde informed.

Electricity connections have been provided to 22.87 lakh rural households, which includes free connections to 18.76 lakh BPL households while franchisees have been installed in 73,422 villages in 14 states.

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