The Andhra Pradesh Government has requested the Centre to sanction free electricity connections to about 20 lakh Below Poverty Line (BPL) consumers.
The free-power supply for the poor was sought under the under Rajiv Gandhi Grameen Vidyuti Karan Yojana programme during the 12th plan period with an aim to provide access to electricity to all balance households in the State.
The State power utilities had already electrified over 26 lakh BPL rural households during 10th and 11th plans up to November this year under this programme.
The Union Ministry of Power had agreed to the proposal of the State Govt for continuation of funding up to 90 per cent of costs for the implementation of the Yojana, also during the 12th five-year plan (2012-2017) and recommended the same to the Planning Commission.
Apart from providing tariff subsidy of Rs 4,300 crore, the State Government had accorded permission for mobilisation of Rs 4,000 crore in the form of power bonds of additional power purchases, Mr Dinesh Kumar, Principal Secretary in the State Energy Department, said in a release issued here on Sunday.