The Centre has completed the electrification work in nearly one-third of 18,452 unelectrified villages, Power Minister Piyush Goyal said today. 

Prime Minister Narendra Modi had announced in his Independence Day speech last year that all 18,452 unelectrified villages will get electricity within 1,000 days. The Centre has decided to provide power to 18,452 villages by May 1, 2018.

“We have electrified 5,026 villages. Electrification of 898 villages is in progress while 1,415 villages are under energisation. Today, one-third of the overall task of electrifying 18,452 villages has been achieved,” Goyal told reporters here.

Goyal said that electrification works in these villages faced several challenges as most of the areas were naxal-hit, and also consist of hilly terrain and dense forestation.

The minister explained that out of the 2,21,424 milestones set for electrification of these villages, 72,799 are achieved which is roughly 33 per cent indicating that one third of task undertaken has been completed. 

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NEW DELHI: In a bid to achieve ‘One Grid One Natio’ objective, the transmission capacity across south Indian states would be enhanced to 18,000 MW by 2019-20 from 3,400 MW when NDA government took charge at the Centre, Power Minister Piyush Goyal has said. 

“… in three and half years (NDA’s remaining tenure), Modi government would add transmission capacity by two time (in South India). The 3,400 MW will become 10,000 MW and by 2019-20 we hope to increase transmission capacity to 18,000 MW,” Goyal told reporters here. 

The minister expressed hope that with this massive flow of power to south India, government will be able to make the country “one grid one nation” which will keep the power cost under control. 

Under the ‘One Grid One Natio’ policy, power is available on demand to all consumer states at almost same prices. This can be achieved after integrating power transmission grids in the country. 

Goyal added: “In less than 18 months, we have increased the transmission capacity to south India, including Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Kerala, Tamil Nadu by 71 per cent. In the next two years, we want to add another 80 per cent of it.” 

On the surplus power affecting generation companies, he said, “I think the nation should be happy that Prime Minister Narendra Modi has been able to convert mood of doom and gloom… perpetual coal and power shortage… shortage economy into surplus economy in short span of 18-20 months. Now power is available on tap anywhere in the country at one price.” 

He added: “It happened on December 29 and twice in January when across the whole nation you could get power at one price anywhere in the country. Once upon a time, the problem of power was so acute in southern states that electricity was available at Rs 15-18 per unit because of perpetual shortage.” 

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Power minister Piyush Goyal stressed that it cannot be the responsibility of the prime minister and finance minister alone to resolve the problems of the country, and said that all of us have to share the responsibility. Quoting author Paulo Coelho, Goyal said, “Once all of us desire good to happen, the entire universe will conspire to make it happen.” 

Goyal insisted that the aspirations of the people of India do not leave us with the luxury of time any more, and said one may have to look at alternative mechanisms to achieve certain goals. “We need the people of India to come on board and take this (passing bills) as a shared responsibility. It cannot be left to a set of people in one family to hold the country to ransom.” 

“I used to get about 100 files a day when I became a minister amongst the three ministries, and these were more often than not somebody’s individual problem. I took a decision that I will not sign a single file which relates to an individual company’s case, and insisted that the department does a root cause analysis and come up with a policy framework if there’s any need for one, or reject the case.” 

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