Friday, April 20, 2012

Gujarat: 24-hour power supply in over 18,000 villages

As the hot summer triggers increased use of electricity, load shedding and power cuts in rest of the country, the power-surplus Gujarat is sitting pretty, defining the season differently. Gujarat has emerged as the largest solar power maker in India with more than 18,000 villages of the state receiving 24-hour electricity.
"Earlier, the electricity used to go off often and we had to draw water manually. Now everything is okay," Raaysan village resident Gitaben Nayi said.
While round the clock power supply has made life a lot more comfortable in villages, the Jyoti Gram scheme has also given a huge boost to rural economic activities.
Before the government scheme was implemented, Prabhudas Prajapati's flour-unit received electricity for just eight hours a day and at odd hours. However, today he has been able to expand his business due to uninterested power supply.
"The situation is good. Customers are also happy and I don't have to stay up all night to work," Prajapati said.
The uninterrupted power supply has helped Amrut Patel's spice grinding unit in Shertha village too.
"The electronic weighing machine can be operated, there's electricity in the unit and we can work even till midnight," Entrepreneur Amrut Patel said.
Gujarat Energy Minister Saurabh Patel said that the reason why there is no power shortage in the state is because the government don't have a policy paralysis.
"The reason why there is no power shortage is because we don't have a policy paralysis. Our plans have been as per schedule and have been implemented," Saurabh Patel said.

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