20 lakh BPL families to get power connection

HYDERABAD: The state government has requested the Union power ministry to sanction free domestic connections to around 20 lakh eligible BPL families apart from electrification of the remaining tribal habitations, SC and weaker section colonies under the Rajiv Gandhi Grameena Vidyuthikarana Yojana (RGGVY) during the 12th Plan period.The utilities have already electrified nearly 26 lakh BPL rural households during the 10th and 11th Plans up to November this year under the programme. The power ministry has agreed to the proposal of continuing the funding 90:10 (90 per cent by the Central government and 10 per cent by the state government) for the scheme during the 12th Plan (2012-2017) and recommended the same to the Planning Commission.Disclosing these details, energy department principal secretary Dinesh Kumar said here on Sunday that the government was determined to provide adequate supply to all consumers in the state. Apart from providing tariff subsidy of `4,300 crore, the government has accorded permission for mobilisation of funds to the tune of `4,000 crore in the form of AP power bonds towards clearance of additional power purchases, he said.Though the state’s installed generation capacity was doubled in the past decade, it was not enough to meet the requirement due to increase in power demand, shortage of coal and natural gas, dry spell and reduced inflows into hydel reservoirs. All these factors have created severe shortage of power. The power utilities were forced to resort to load shedding. Since the Bhupalapalli 500 MW thermal unit was  restored, power cuts for domestic consumers have been reduced.Apart from giving priority to domestic and farm sectors, AP power utilities have proposed a new scheme called expensive power purchase charge (EPPC) for industrial consumers. According to the scheme power would be supplied at extra cost for willing industrial consumers during power holidays. The superintending engineers of all districts have been asked to elicit opinions of industrial consumers in this regard.