New Delhi, May 12
Electricity supply has failed to reach over three lakh households in rural Punjab, the richest state in the country. The state claimed to achieved 100 per cent rural electrification in early seventies.
Despite the fact that successive governments in the state have tried to win elections by supplying free power to the agriculture sector, out of 27.75 lakh rural households, around three lakh have no access to electricity. Most of these households belong to the Scheduled Castes and small and marginal farmers.
The Ministry of Power has estimated that over 10 per cent of the households in the state are still dependent on kerosene lamps for lighting.
In Haryana also, out of 24. 45 lakh rural households, over five lakh, around 25 per cent, have no access to the power supply.
A report prepared by the ministry on the status of rural electrification in the country has estimated that over five crore rural households have no access to electricity. Ironically, the total electricity consumption in the country has crossed one lakh MW, growing at over 5 per cent in the first three years of the 10th plan, with improving the situation in the rural areas.
The ministry has claimed that out of estimated 5.86 lakh villages, around 1.50 lakh were still without power.
Power Minister P.M. Sayeed said, “The government is committed to electrify all villages by 2012 through Technology Mission on rural electricity, besides increasing funding for the purpose.”
He said out of around 138.27 million rural households, 56.5 per cent (78.09 million households) still did not have access to power supply. Criticising the previous government, he said, “The country is facing power crisis as the country failed to meet even 50 per cent of the power generation target during 1997-2002.”
Himachal Pradesh, which boasts of surplus power, is still to provide electricity to around 5.5 per cent households numbering 60,551 rural households.
However, the ministry has appreciated Himachal Pradesh, Goa, Punjab, Haryana, Jammu and Kashmir and Sikkim for providing electricity to over 75 per cent of rural households.
Incidentally, in Bihar, Jharkhand, Assam, Orissa, Uttar Pradesh and West Bengal, which comprise 43 per cent of the total population of the country, over 80 per cent of the rural households have no access to electricity.
The situation is severe in Bihar and Jharkhand where 95 per cent (1.20 crore), and 90 per cent (34.22 lakh) households have no access to power.
