Beginning of 24-hour power supply in state from Jabalpur today

Bhopal: A new era of 24-hour power supply to rural domestic consumers and eight hours for agriculture consumers will begin with the launch of Atal Jyoti Abhiyan at Jabalpur. It will be launched by Chief Minister Shri Shivraj Singh Chouhan on January 20.
Chief Minister Shri Chouhan had launched feeder separation scheme two years ago from Sagar. On the occasion, he had announced that supply of quality three-phase power for 24 hours to rural domestic consumers and eight hours for agriculture consumers will be started from year 2013. All three power distribution companies of the state implemented this scheme.
Agriculture feeders are being installed for supplying power separately to agriculture and non-domestic consumers. Over 6000 feeders of 11 KV capacity are being separated in 4000 villages in the state at a cost of Rs. 4 thousand crore. Under the campaign, 71 thousand 688 km long 11 KV lines are being laid and 71 thousand 516 distribution transformers are being installed. Besides, 60 thousand kilometer long low-tension lines will be cabalised for preventing power theft. The campaign will benefit state’s 54 thousand 903 villages, 23 thousand 12 Gram Panchayats, 258 Nagar Panchayats, 97 Nagar Palikas and 14 Municipal Corporations.
The objective of Atal Jyoti Abhiyan is to make available quality three-phase power to domestic, commercial, industrial and other consumers. Besides, power will also be supplied for eight hours to agriculture consumers. Its objectives also include improving living standard through establishment of cottage industries in rural, semi-urban and urban areas, increase in agriculture production, increasing quality of health and education facilities etc.
Implementation of the scheme will lead to increase in agriculture production and economic growth. Facilities in rural areas will increase with 24-hour power supply and they will get the benefit of information technology boom. Besides, railway, bus and plane reservation, banking and online facilities will be available to villagers. Availability of uninterrupted power will give boost to industries, expand health and education facilities and improve villagers’ employment opportunities.
Results
As a result of works undertaken under various schemes, power losses have come down to 10 percent from 15 percent at a number of feeders. In rural areas of the district now, distribution loss was to the tune of 43 percent in the first quarter of the year, which has come down to 27 percent. Number of consumers in the rural areas was 1.70 lakh which has increased to 2.05 lakh in year 2012 following start of this scheme.
Benefits of Atal Jyoti Abhiyan
Implementation of the Atal Jyoti Abhiyan will ensure 24-hour power supply on three-phase leading to global communications to the benefit of common people. Facilities of railway reservation, banking, online payment etc. will reach villages on a large scale. Light, refrigeration, entertainment etc. also depend on electricity. Living standard of people will increase due to 24-hour power supply. Besides, educational facilities will increase on a large scale and internet connectivity will be within the reach of all. Similarly, health facilities will also be within the reach of villages all the time. Increase in job opportunities will bring down rate of migration from villages to cities and establishment of new industrial units will become possible in rural areas.
Increase in power supply
Hours of power supply are being increased constantly in the state during last few years. About 422 million units of power are estimated to be supplied during year 2013-14. This increase amounts to 17.20 percent.
Vidhan Sabha Speaker Shri Ishwardas Rohani, Animal Husbandry, Fisheries, Minorities Welfare & Renewable Energy Minister Shri Ajay Vishnoi, Home Minister Shri Umashankar Gupta, Energy & Mineral Resources Development Minister Shri Rajendra Shukla and MP Shri Rakesh Singh will be special guests. The special invitees will include Mayor Shri Prabhat Sahu, Zila Panchayat Chairman Shri Bharat Singh Yadav, MLAs Shri Sharad Jain, Shri Harendra Singh Babbu, Shri Lakhan Ghanghoria, Shri Narendra Tripathi, Smt. Nandini Marawi, Smt. Pratibha Singh and Smt. Lauren B. Lobo.