A programme for total electrification of the State is under way. Necessary measures, including completion of Edamon-Kochi 400 KV power line, are being adopted to achieve the target by March 2017.
The State has over 77 lakh houses, as per 2011 census, and 94.4 per cent of them have been electrified.
Alappuzha, Ernakulam, Thrissur and Palakkad districts have already been declared fully electrified. Of the 140 Assembly constituencies, complete electrification has been achieved in 89.
The Chief Minister asked the MLAs of the remaining constituencies to offer support for the success of the project, KSEB officials said.
Under the prevailing rules, the beneficiary will have to bear expenses to extend the power line to the houses. It won’t be possible for weaker sections to spend money on infrastructure to enable them to have electricity connection.
The government has decided to extend power line and set up transformers in places where the beneficiaries are incapable of funding the expenses for power connection. About 2.5 lakh houses will get benefit under the programme.
The funds for the programme will be obtained from various sources under Central and State schemes, as KSEB is not in a position to bear the cost in full. MLA funds could be utilised wherever possible.
The project is to be implemented at the block and grama panchayat levels under supervisory committees, which will have representatives from the respective panchayats.
Meanwhile, efforts are on to complete the Edamon-Kochi 400 kv power line to ensure connectivity with Kudankulam nuclear power plant.
Absence of the line between the two places has forced the Power Grid Corporation to make use of alternative lines to evacuate power, a process which resulted in considerable transmission loss.
Electricity Minister Kadakampally Surendran held discussions with the officials concerned last week to expedite the work on the power line. The people who will lose their houses because of the project will be provided adequate compensation, according to the understanding reached at the meeting with the action council of land-owners and other stakeholders.
Preliminary survey
It was decided to complete the preliminary survey on the 19-km stretch situated in Puthupally and Kanjirapally within a month.
Revenue officials have been asked to take account of trees and other properties that could be destroyed when the project is implemented.
Government to extend infrastructure for those incapable of funding expenses for power connection
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