Lok Sabha Question No. 3079 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2025-08-07
Subject: Status of Rural Electrification
Ministry: POWER
Asked by: Smt. Geniben Nagaji Thakor

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF POWER

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO.3079 ANSWERED ON 07.08.2025

## STATUS OF RURAL ELECTRIFICATION

3079. SMT. GENIBEN NAGAJI THAKOR:

Will the Minister of POWER

be pleased to state:

- (a) whether the Government has achieved 100% electrification of villages and households in the country and if so, the details thereof;
- (b) if  not, the current status of rural electrification and the measures being taken to address the gaps;
- (c) the initiatives undertaken to promote renewable energy sources like solar and wind under various Central schemes; and
- (d) the  progress  made  under  the  Revamped  Distribution  Sector  Scheme (RDSS) for improving power distribution infrastructure and reducing losses?

## A N S W E R

## THE MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF POWER (SHRI SHRIPAD NAIK)

- (a) & (b): Government  of  India  has  supplemented  the  efforts  of  the  States through  schemes  like  Deen  Dayal  Upadhyaya  Gram  Jyoti  Yojana  (DDUGJY), Integrated Power Development Scheme (IPDS), Pradhan Mantri Sahaj Bijli Har Ghar Yojana (SAUBHAGYA) etc., to help them achieve the objective of providing quality and reliable power supply to all households. As reported by the States, all the inhabited un-electrified census villages in the country were electrified by 28 th  April, 2018. A total of 18,374 villages were electrified during DDUGJY. Under DDUGJY and thereafter during SAUBHAGYA, as reported by States, electrification  of  all  willing  households  was  completed.  A  total  of  2.86  crore households were electrified during SAUBHAGYA. Both the schemes stand closed as on 31.03.2022.

Government of India is further supporting States for grid electrification of left-out households, under the ongoing scheme of Revamped Distribution Sector Scheme  (RDSS),  launched  in  July,  2021.  It  includes  on-grid  electrification  of Particularly  Vulnerable  Tribal  Group  (PVTG)  households  identified  under  PMJANMAN  (Pradhan Mantri Janjati Adivasi Nyaya Maha Abhiyan), tribal households  under  DA-JGUA  (Dharti  Aaba  Janjatiya  Gram  Utkarsh  Abhiyan), Scheduled Caste households under Pradhan Mantri Anusuchit Jaati Abhyuday Yojna  (PM-AJAY)  and  households  in  remote  and  border  areas  under  Vibrant Village Program (VVP), wherever found feasible. Till date, works amounting to Rs. 6,487 Cr. have been sanctioned for electrification of 13.59 lakh households under RDSS. In addition, under new solar power scheme, works amounting to Rs. 50 Cr for off-grid solar based electrification have been sanctioned for 9961 households as on 30 th  June. 2025.

……….2.

- (c): Following  key  initiatives  have  been  taken  by  Government  of  India  for renewable energy:
- i. 50 GW/annum renewable energy power procurement bids by Renewable Energy Implementing Agencies (REIAs) like SECI, NHPC and NTPC from FY 2023-24 to FY 2027-28.
- ii. Waiving  of  Inter-State  Transmission  System  (ISTS)  charges  for  various renewable energy projects.
- iii. Renewable  Purchase  Obligation  (RPO)  and  Renewable  Consumption Obligation (RCO) compliance by designated consumers.
- iv. A Project Development Cell has been established to attract investments and  Standard  Bidding  Guidelines  have  been  issued  for  various  gridconnected renewable energy projects.
- v. Schemes to promote renewable energy like PM-KUSUM (Pradhan Mantri Kisan  Urja  Suraksha  Evam  Uttan  Abhiyaan),  PM  Surya  Ghar  Muft  Bijli Yojana,  National  Programme  on  High  Efficiency  Solar  PV  Modules, development of Solar Parks and Ultra Mega Solar Power projects etc.
- vi. "National Repowering and Life Extension Policy for Wind Power Projects, 2023" has been issued.
- vii. For offshore wind energy, a "Strategy for Establishments of Offshore Wind Energy Projects" outlines a bidding trajectory of 37 GW by 2030.
- viii. Standard & Labelling (S&L) programs for solar photovoltaic modules and inverters have been launched.
- ix. The  Green  Term  Ahead  Market  (GTAM)  and  Green  Day  Ahead  Market (GDAM) have been launched for selling renewable energy power through exchanges.

(d) : Under RDSS, distribution infrastructure works, including smart metering works,  worth  Rs.  2.82  lakh  Crore  have  been  sanctioned.  This  includes  loss reduction works like upgradation/augmentation of sub-stations and distribution transformers, upgrading of conductors, segregation of mixed-load feeders, IT/OT works etc. and smart metering works which would help reduce the technical and commercial losses. Further, release of funds under the scheme is contingent on performance of States/ UTs on various other parameters including the reduction in  AT&C (Aggregate Technical and Commercial) losses. Till date ~30% of the sanctioned  infrastructure  works  and  ~12%  of  the  sanctioned  smart  metering works have been completed.

With collective effort of Centre & States/ UTs and the reform measures taken  under  RDSS  and  various  other  schemes,  the  AT&C  loss  of  distribution utilities has reduced from 21.91% in FY21 to 16.12% in FY24.

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