Ensuring 24X7 Power to all Rural Household

B. N. Sharma *

A Power Sub Station at Sangaiprou in September 2012 :: Pix - Hueiyen Lanpao

Power sector is a critical infrastructure element required for the smooth functioning of the economy. An efficient, resilient and financially healthy power sector is essential for growth and poverty reduction. The availability of reliable, quality and affordable power helps in the rapid agriculture, industrial and overall economic development of the state. The Government of India is committed to improve the quality of life of its citizens by providing each household access to electricity, round the clock.

Presently, power supply in rural areas in many parts of the country is inadequate and unreliable. In rural areas of the country, the agricultural and non-agricultural load (domestic and non-domestic) are typically catered to through common distribution network. The distribution utilities resort to frequent load shedding in rural areas to mitigate the gap between supply and demand, which affects power supply to agricultural consumers as well as non-agricultural consumers owing to common distribution network.

Further, the demand of electricity in rural areas is increasing day by day due to increase in customer base, changes in lifestyle and consumption pattern which requires continual strengthening and augmentation of distribution network. Therefore, strengthening and augmentation of sub-transmission & distribution infrastructure is also considered necessary to ensure reliable and quality power supply in rural areas.

Feeder separation in rural areas refers to supply of electricity to agricultural consumers and to non-agricultural consumers separately through dedicated feeders. This arrangement allows the distribution company to ensure adequate and reliable power to farmers as well as to rural households. This will ensure reliable and adequate power supply to farmers resulting in high productivity and farm security. Besides, the rural households will get 24x7 power supply thereby improving the quality of life in rural areas and also give a boost to economic activity.

Finance Minister in his Budget speech for 2014-15 announced that "Power is a vital input for economic growth and the Government is committed to providing 24x7 uninterrupted power supply to all homes. "Deendayal Upadhyaya Gram Jyoti Yojana" for feeder separation will be launched to augment power supply to the rural areas and for strengthening sub-transmission and distribution systems".

After inter-ministerial consultations, feedback from States and other stakeholder, Government of India launched "Deendayal Upadhyaya Gram Jyoti Yojana" (DDUGJY) with the objectives;

(a) To separate agriculture and non-agriculture feeders to facilitate Discoms in the judicious rostering of supply to agricultural & non- agricultural consumers

(b) Strengthening and augmentation of sub-transmission & distribution infrastructure including metering in rural areas and (c) Rural electrification including micro-grid and off-grid distribution network. The scheme is an improvement over the previous programmes as it provides cafeteria approach to the States in prioritising their needs rather than a straight jacketed approach of 'one size fits all'. The scheme covers all villages, habitations & hamlets/dhanis and with special dispensation for hilly/special category States.

Under the scheme, Govt. of India is providing financial support in the form of grant maximum up to 75% of total project cost (90%, in case of special category States) to the Discoms for implementation of the scheme. All Discoms including Private Sector Discoms are eligible for availing financial support under the scheme.

The scheme particularly targets incapacities of distribution network by decreasing Aggregate Technical and Commercial losses including theft with emphasis on energy accounting through 100% metering at all levels. The scheme will be implemented within five years during the 12th and 13th Plans in cooperation with the Discoms and the State Governments. Implementation framework along with operational guidelines for implementation of the scheme have been released and Discoms of the States are in the process of formulation of projects.

Effective and efficient implementation of scheme will lead to viable and reliable electricity services resulting in increased productivity in agriculture & labour, improvement in delivery of health & education, access to communications (radio, telephone, television, mobile), improved lighting after sunset, facilitating use of time and energy saving in mills, motors & pumps, increasing public safety through outdoor lighting.

Household electrification also increases the likely hood that women would study and earn income. The scheme after its implementation should be able to achieve 100% household electrification fulfilling the goal of 24x7 accessibility, availability, reliability, quality and affordable power by 2019.