Total electrification in 1,515 villages
There are 1,515 villages in the State, which are totally covered under the rural electrification programme. The number villages partially covered under the programme is 6,603. This was stated by Power Minister Pradyut Bardoloi in the State Assembly today in reply to a starred question from Independent member Pranab Kalita. He also said that the State Government had adopted schemes to complete the rural electrification programme covering all the villages by 2009. After the approval of the Rural Electrification Corporation, all the villages will be covered, he said apprising the House that altogether 18, 517 revenue villages were covered earlier through various schemes. But natural calamities have severed connections to 4,061 villages. Again, 12,949 villages are covered partially under the programme, the Minister said. However, to implement the programme, an amount of Rs 2,300 crore will be required and this amount is to be obtained from the Central Government. The Central Government has set norms for making the payment for the purpose. It includes installation of at least one transformer in a village, said the Minister. The Rajiv Gandhi Rural Electrification Programme has also included the component for providing free electric connection to the BPL families. The programme is being implemented in Golapara, Tinsukia and Cachar districts. Efforts are on to collect the lists of the BPL families from the Deputy Commissioners of these districts for the purpose of providing free electric connection, he said. The Minister also informed the House in reply to a call attention motion moved by Mission Ranjan Das (BJP), that the reports of closure of 22,000 small scale industrial units due to the installation of digital meters were not based on facts. The Assam Small Industries Development Corporation has said in a report that no SSI unit was closed after installation of digital meters. Moreover, the Minister said, only five small-scale industrial units were closed in the State during the past two years due to their inherent problems. Four of these closed units were located in Kamrup district and one in Jorhat district, he said.