The Hindu : Front Page : Plan to give 70,000 power connections

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Wednesday, Jul 09, 2008
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Plan to give 70,000 power connections

R. Sairam

Under Rajiv Gandhi Grameen Vidyutikaran Yojana in five southern districts

MADURAI: More than 70,000 below poverty line (BPL) families in five southern districts will get free electricity connections under the Rajiv Gandhi Grameen Vidyutikaran Yojana.

“The scheme, which began in July-August, will be completed in the next 18 months,” K. Balasubramanian, Chief Engineer (Distribution) of Madurai region, Tamil Nadu Electricity Board, told The Hindu here. The Board would be reimbursed 90 per cent of the project cost by the public sector funding company, Rural Electrification Corporation, he said. The cost of giving power connection for a house is Rs. 2,600.

Beneficiaries

The break-up of beneficiaries in the five districts coming under Madurai region of TNEB is: 18,152 dwellings of BPL families without power connections in Madurai district; 7,333 families in Theni; 13,321 families in Dindigul; 12,862 in Sivaganga; and 18,931 in Ramanathapuram.

The implementing agency of the project is Tamil Nadu Small Industries Corporation (TANSI), which is given a ‘turnkey’ contract. Under the contract, the TANSI will take care of supply, testing and commissioning of lines and infrastructure.Mr. Balasubramanian said that the TNEB was the technical supervisor for the project. “The objective of the scheme is to ensure that no hamlet, however remote, remained without a power connection.”

The list of BPL families without power connections had been obtained from the respective districts, he added.

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