SPEECH OF

SHRI N. BIREN SINGH

HON’BLE CHIEF MINISTER

MANIPUR

INAUGURATION OF “SAUBHAGYA SCHEME”IMPERIAL HALL, CLASSIC GRANDE, IMPHAL ON 28^st NOVEMBER, 2017

1. Hon’ble Union Minister of State (Independent Charge)for Power and New and Renewable Energy, Shri R. K. Singh ji;
   

2. Hon’ble Minister, Power, Government of Manipur,
   Shri Th. Biswajit ji;
   

3. Chief Secretary, Government of Manipur,
   Shri Rashmi;
   

4. Senior Government officials,
   

5. Friends from the Media;
   

6. Ladies and Gentlemen.
   

I am delighted to be here today for thelaunching of “Saubhagya Scheme” in the State.  Manipur is ready to participate in the Scheme, which was launched by the Hon’ble Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Modi ji on 25^th September 2017, an initiative aimed at providing power to all homes to transform the lives, especially of the poorest of the poor, under his dynamic leadership. This is one of the many initiatives which reflects the working of the government which is committed to the welfare of the poor.

 ‘Saubhagya’will provide energy access to all remaining un-electrified households in rural as well as urban areas to achieve universal household electrification in the country. It aims to improve the environment, public health, education and connectivity with the help of last-mile power connections across India.

The number of households yet to be electrified under this Scheme based on Socio Economic and Caste Census (SECC)-2011 and other related data is about 1.07 lakhs. Majority of the eligible households are in the Hill districts of the State. Extensive surveyin these districts shall have to be carried out and it is estimated that about 1.62 lakhs of householdsin rural area would be provided connection under Saubhagya Scheme.

The State has electrified 972 Census Villages under various plans of DDUGJY (Deendayal Upadhyaya Gram Jyoti Yojana) and 1,442 census villages under state plan. The balance un-electrified villages are 168. Under off-grid solutions, 94 villages are being taken up through Manipur Renewable Energy Development Agency (MANIREDA) and the remaining 74 villages through Grid solution.The State is putting all effort for completion of village electrification under GARV(Garameen Vidutikaran).It is targeted to complete the electrification of the remaining 47 villages by December 2017.

Under the National Solar Mission, Manipur has been allocated installation target of 105 MW solar power by the year 2022. Further, the Regulatory Commission has fixed solar RPO (Renewable Purchase Obligation) of the state @ 5.5% for the year 2017-18, which will gradually be increasing to 10.50% by the year 2022.

Considering the geographical constraints and techno-economic uncertainties, private investors are reluctant to set up megawatt scale solar power plants in the state at the tariff affordable by the DISCOM.  

The Government of Manipur, therefore, proposes to set up a demonstration solar power plant of 5MW capacity at Imphal to assess the actual working condition of megawatt scale solar power plant in the state. The Ministry of New and Renewable Energy, Government of India may please consider capital subsidy @ 90% cost of the project as a special consideration. The state government shall bear 10% of the project cost provide required land area of the project.

The general power supply in the State has improved to a large extent especially after corporatisation of the erstwhile Electricity Department into Transmission Company and Distribution Company.However, the financial health of the DISCOM needs to augmented by reducing the AT&C (Aggregate Technical and Commercial) losses, by Strengthening the existing infrastructure. It is learnt that, the department has submitted DPR for above System Strengthening Schemes. The Ministry of Power may favourably consider for sanction of the Scheme as grant so as to further improve the energy sector for a sustainable development and The Ministry of Power may issue necessary advice for approval/ sanction of such DPR already submitted by the State Government, so that the State could fulfil the dream of Honourable Prime Minister, Shri Modi ji to provide household electrification to all families in the Country.

Thank you all.

Jai hind.

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