Publication - May 5, 2011
The Rajiv Gandhi Grameen Vidyutikaran Yojana (RGGVY) is a flagship programme of the government of India which began in April 2005 and aimed to accelerate the pace of rural electrification programme in the country. The Ministry of Power is the nodal agency implementing the scheme with a mandate to attain the National Common Minimum Programme (NCMP) goal of providing electricity to all households
by 2010 (extended to 2012 in 11th five year plan). However looking at the implementation pace Government is planning to take it up in the 12th Five Year Plan (2012-17). The scheme has focused mainly on the development and extension of the centralised grid system to rural areas to provide quality and reliable power. This has however been far from successful.
It is imperative that RGGVY is reviewed by the people before it is continued in the 12th plan period and people's concerns and suggestions are taken into consideration to ensure that the scheme does deliver quality energy to the millions in India currently deprived of it. Greenpeace India has initiated a social audit to enable such a process in Bihar, Uttar Pradesh and Andhra Pradesh. The aim of the audit is to bring out the implementation reality of the scheme and examine whether the mandate of the scheme has been fulfilled or not.
Greenpeace along with its partner organisation Sakhi and local RTI activists carried out social survey of the scheme in Madhubani district based on the information procured by the government on electrification status in the district through Right to Information Act. A total of 170 households5 across 6 villages from 6 blocks of Madhubani district were surveyed as part of the social audit process.
Here are the survey results.
Rajiv Gandhi Grameen Vidyutikaran Yojana Social Survey Report, Madhubani, Bihar