Union Minister hails Manipur as fastest power reforming State
Saubhagya Scheme to electrify 1.76 Lakh house holds
Source: The Sangai Express / DIPR
Imphal, November 28 2017:
Union Minister of State (i/c) for Power and New & Renewable Energy RK Singh said that Manipur is the 'Fastest Reforming State' in Power sector in the country and the Manipur Government is performing well in the same sector.
He was speaking at the launching function of Pradhan Mantri Sahaj Bijli Har Ghar Yojana (Saubhagya Scheme) held at Hotel Classic Grande today.
RK Singh said that without development in power sector, there won't be any development and industrialization in the State.
It is the vision of Prime Minister Narendra Modi to provide electricity to every household of the country.
Now the Government would come to people's doorstep to provide power connection to every household.
This is such a scheme where the poorest of the poor can afford electricity in their homes, RK Singh said.
He promised that people would get 24x7 power supply by March, 2019.And for this, the Government has already given obligation to private companies to provide 24x7 power supply to every household, he added.
The Union Minister further stated that the Government under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi believe in bringing change, changing lives of people and moving forward towards development.
He assured that the Ministry of Power would provide the required financial assistance for strengthening and improvement of infrastructure in the power sector in Manipur.
The Government of India had already extended monetary assistance for procuring of transformers, meters etc.
to strengthen the power sector in the State, he added.
Chief Minister N Biren Singh said that under the dynamic leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the 'Saubhagya Scheme' would transform the lives, specially poorest of the poor by providing power supply to every household of the country.
Biren mentioned that the power supply has improved to a large extent especially after corporatisation of the erstwhile Electricity Department into transmission company and distribution company.
He said that Saubhagya scheme would provide power supply to the remaining unelectrified household to achieve universal household electrification in the country.
Stating that majority of the scheme reside in the hill districts, the Chief Minister said that around 1.07 lakh households are yet to be electrified under this scheme, he added.
Biren said that the Government would ensure power connection to the remaining households free of cost.
The State Government has electrified 972 Census villages under various plans of Deendayal Upadhyaya Gram Jyoti Yojana and 1,442 census villages under State plan.
Under the National Solar Mission, Manipur has been allocated an installation target of 105 MV solar power by the year 2022, he added.
Stating that Prime Minister Narendra Modi is a legendary leader, the Chief Minister said that the initiatives and schemes undertaken under his leadership to uplift the deprived and downtrodden people of the country are guided by a benevolent intention to bring smiles on the face of every citizen.
Minister for Power, Commerce and Industries, Th Biswajit said that the Government has successfully electrified 90 percent households in urban areas and 60 percent in rural areas of the State.
The un-electrified 1.76 lakh household would get power connection under the Saubhagya scheme, he added.
The State Government has already started free electricity connections to some districts of the State.
And under the supervision of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, all the villages of the country would be electrified by 2019, he added.
On the other hand, the State Government has set a target of providing electricity to every household of the State by December, 2018 .
He also appealed to the officials of MSPDCL and MANIREDA to work hard to fulfil the aspirations of the Prime Minister to provide power supply to every household of the country.
On the occasion, a Memorandum of Agreement was signed between Rural Electrification Corporation Limited (REC) and Ukhrul District Community Resource Management Society (UDCRMS), a district unit of North Eastern Region Community Resource Management Society (NERCRMS) for the construction of a multipurpose hall cum indoor stadium at Somdal village, Ukhrul district.