2. Lighting Up Rural India Rural electrification is the process of bringing electrical power to rural and remote areas. Electricity is used not only for lighting and household purposes, but it also allows for mechanization of many farming operations, such as threshing, milking, and hoisting grain for storage-In areas facing labor shortages, this allows for greater productivity at reduced cost.
4. INSTITUITONS AND INITITATIVES TAKEN BY THE GOVENRNMENT FOR RURAL ELECTRIFICATION Rural electrification is radically different from producing and generating electricity for urban areas. This is because of low population density, difficult terrains and low consumption of energy which is largely domestic in nature. They also require large number of subsidies to make their financially viable so as to be afforded by low rural incomes. Therefore, there is a vital necessity for specific rural electrification schemes and establishments.
5. Rural Electrification Corporation Limited REC (Rural Electrification Corporation Limited) is a leading public Infrastructure Finance Company in India’s power sector. The company finances and promotes rural electrification projects across India, operating through a network of 13 Project Offices and 5 Zonal Offices, headquartered in New Delhi. The company provides loans to Central/ State Sector Power Utilities, State Electricity Boards, Rural Electric Cooperatives, NGOs and Private Power Developers.
6. Rajiv Gandhi GrameenVidyutikaranYojana (RGGVY) Ministry of Power (Government of India) has launched nation-wide scheme for development of rural and household electrification in 2005 towards the National Common Minimum Programme goal of providing access to electricity to all. Under the scheme, 90% capital subsidy is provided by Government of India for overall cost of projects.
7. Central Institute for Rural Electrification (CIRE) CIRE serves as a platform for association with other institutions towards a common goal of Rural Electrification and rural energy development. In 1979, REC established a national training institute in Hyderabad for the development of techno-managerial skill and efficiency in State Electricity Boards , Distribution Companies, Rural Electric Cooperatives and other Power Utilities, and also to conduct in-house training programs for REC’s employees.
8. RURAL ELECTRIFICATION POLICY The government has notified its rural electrification policy in April 2006,under sections 4 and 5 of the electricity act 2002.The policy aims at : Provisioning of electricity to all households by year 2009 Quality and reliable power supply at reasonable rates Minimum lifeline consumption of one unit per household per day as a merit good by the year 2012.
9. ACHIEVEMENTS OF RURAL ELCTRIFICATION Village level Electrification- 82.2% This has brought about a significant change in India’s agricultural sector. Street lighting in the rural areas has spread fairly extensively. Indirect benefits of improved agricultural production have percolated down to various levels and helped to alleviate general poverty to some extent.
10. Problems associated with ruralelectrification 1. Rural electrification in India has been almost entirely carried out by extending the grid. Rarely have local resources been utilized for generating power. 2. The distribution networks have grown in a haphazard fashion. As a result, distribution losses are very large and often the terminal voltages are poor. 3. Electricity is provided only sporadically(ex: 9-12 hours per day). 4. Villagers feel they cannot depend on electricity to operate pumpsets and other equipment.
