Lok Sabha Question No. 2669 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2016-12-01
Subject: Electrification of Remote Villages
Ministry: POWER
Asked by: KUNWAR HARIBANSH SINGH, VIJAY KUMAR S.R., T. RADHAKRISHNAN, GAJANAN CHANDRAKANT KIRTIKAR, SUDHEER GUPTA, BIDYUT BARAN MAHATO, SUNIL BALIRAM GAIKWAD, ASHOK SHANKARRAO CHAVAN, DEVAJIBHAI GOVINDBHAI FATEPARA, GOPAL CHINAYYA SHETTY, OM BIRLA

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA

## MINISTRY OF POWER

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO.2669

## TO BE ANSWERED ON 01.12.2016

## ELECTRIFICATION OF REMOTE VILLAGES

## 2669.  KUNWAR HARIBANSH SINGH:

SHRI S.R. VIJAYAKUMAR:

SHRI T. RADHAKRISHNAN:

SHRI GAJANAN KIRTIKAR:

SHRI SUDHEER GUPTA:

SHRI BIDYUT BARAN MAHATO:

DR. SUNIL BALIRAM GAIKWAD:

SHRI ASHOK SHANKARRAO CHAVAN:

SHRI DEVAJIBHAI G. FATEPARA:

SHRI GOPAL SHETTY:

SHRI OM BIRLA:

## Will the Minister of POWER be pleased to state:

- (a) whether  the  Government  has  covered  villages  under  Remote  Village Electrification Programme in the country and if so, the criteria fixed by the Union Government in this regard;
- (b) the number of remote villages electrified so far and the number of them yet to be electrified and the time-frame for the same, State/UT-wise including Gujarat;
- (c) whether the Union Government has received proposals for electrification of villages  situated  in  inaccessible  areas  including  backward  villages  and  remote villages in the forest areas through new and renewable energy sources during the last three years and the current year;
- (d) if  so, the details thereof and the number of such proposals approved, and number of them are still lying pending for approval, State/UT-wise; and
- (e) whether the Government is aware that most of solar lighting system is not functioning properly and if so, the details thereof and the reasons for the same and  the  steps  taken/being  taken  by  the  Government  for  properly  maintaining comprehensive contract for the solar system installed in the villages?

## A N S W E R

THE MINISTER OF STATE (INDEPENDENT CHARGE) FOR POWER, COAL, NEW & RENEWABLE ENERGY AND MINES

( SHRI  PIYUSH GOYAL )

(a) : Yes, Madam. Government has implemented Remote Village Electrification  Programme  (RVEP)  under  Ministry  of  New  &  Renewable  Energy (MNRE)  in  various  States  to  provide  basic  lighting  through  Renewable  Energy Sources in un-electrified villages and  hamlets of electrified census villages.  The criteria was  the villages with  population more  than 300;   the   Village   should be   situated  at   least  3 Kms  from   the   nearest

distribution transformers of the Grid and were not covered under Rajeev Gandhi Gramin Vidyutikaran Yojana (RGGVY).  The un-covered households which existed as on 31.12.2008, of eligible villages and hamlets which had been earlier taken up under RVEP also included in the criteria.

(b) : MNRE has covered 9006 villages and 2329 hamlets under RVEP so far.    State-wise list  furnishing  number of electrified villages including Gujarat is given at Annexure-I.

(c) & (d) : Deen Dayal Upadhyaya Gram Jyoti Yojana  (DDUGJY) also  provides for    electricity  access  through  renewable  energy  to  inaccessible  and  remotely situated   un-electrified villages/habitations where grid connectivity is either not feasible or not cost effective.  The State-wise details of projects approved during the  last  three  years  and  the  current  year  including  the  backward  villages  and remote villages, is given at Annexure-II.  No proposal is pending for approval.

(e)   : Solar  Lighting  Systems  under  RVEP    are  installed  with  5  years maintenance.  No  complaint  has  been  received  till  now  by  the  MNRE  about  the non-functioning of Solar Lighting Systems.

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