Odishatv Bureau
New Delhi: A mammoth 80,000 MW power generation capacity is under construction during the 12th Five Year Plan period ending March 31, 2017, Power Minister Sushilkumar Shinde told the Rajya Sabha today.

He said during Question Hour that 21,000 MW of electricity generation capacity was added during 10th Plan period against the target of 42,000 MW.

For the 11th Five Year Plan (2007-12), a target of 78,775 MW was set which was revised to 62,000 MW during mid-term appraisal. The actual capacity addition was 55,000 MW. "In the 12th Plan, 80,000 MW of generation capacity is under construction," he said adding the nation currently has an installed capacity to generate 194,000 MW of electricity.

Replying to another question, Shinde said that in 2011-12 20,400 MW power generation capacity was added, which was much higher than the projection of 17,000 MW.

He said re-structured Accelerated Power Development Programme was approved as a Central sector scheme on July 31, 2008 with total outlay of Rs 51,577 crore. "The focus of the programme is on actual, demonstrable performance in terms of Aggregate Technical and Commercial (AT&C) loss reduction," he said.

Projects under the scheme are taken up in two parts. Part-A is for establishing IT enabled system for energy accounting/auditing and SCADA for big cities whereas Part-B is for upgradation and strengthening of electrical network.

He said 43 projects with a total cost of Rs 4495.82 crore were sanctioned for Bihar under the Rajiv Gandhi Grameen Vidyutikaran Yojana (RGGVY). "Under RGGVY, funds are not allocated upfront but are disbursed as per the progress of works. So far, subsidy of Rs 3475.39 crore has been disbursed as per the progress," he said.

He said free electricity connections have been provided to 194.25 lakh below poverty line households under RGGVY in the last three years.

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