As many as 44 Naxal-affected villages will light up with renewable energy in the state. The `37.62 crore scheme will benefit 4,437 families. Project’s total generation capacity is 762 MW. The project was sanctioned at a Board of Directors meeting chaired by New and Renewable Energy Minister and Chairman of Madhya Pradesh Energy Development Corporation Rajendra Shukla here on Tuesday.
Shukla informed that process to electrify these villages will be started soon. The project will benefit villages in Naxal-affected districts Balaghat, Shahdol, Umaria, Sidhi and Singrauli. He informed that sanction was granted at the meeting by Government of India’s Rural Electrification Corporation, New Delhi for electrification of unserviced/partially electrified villages with renewable energy under Distributed Generation (DDG) Programme.
The renewable energy sources include bio-mass, bio-fuel, mini-hydro, solar and bio-gas. At present, Government of India has sanctioned electrification of 44 villages in the state with solar energy under DDG Programme.
The Energy Minister informed that 2 CFls of 11 or 12 watt and 60 watt power point will be installed in every household in these 44 villages. The project provides commercial activities also like flour mill, lighting of community hall etc. and streetlights at public places. Under the scheme, Government of India’s Rural Electrification Corporation, New Delhi provides 90 per cent subsidy and remaining 10 per cent by the state government.
Principal Secretary New and Renewable Energy and corporation’s MD SR Mohanty and Managing Director of Central Region Power Distribution Company Nitesh Vyas were also present on the occasion.