Demand for electricity to be met by '12

NEW DELHI: The National Electricity Policy, notified last month, aims to meet the country''s demand for electricity by 2012, Rajya Sabha was informed on Wednesday.

Replying to supplementaries during Question Hour, Power Minister P.M. Sayeed said besides making power available to all households in the next five years, the National Electricity Policy aims at increasing per capita availability of power to over 1000 units by 2012.

On steps taken by government to improve the performance of power units, the Minister said Plant Load Factors in the country had gone up to 74.5, which is a 17 per cent increase compared to 1993.

The Minister said the requirement of large funds for the sector is sought to be met through private sector participation.

In reply to a question, the Minister said Commercial losses (without subsidy) in State Electricity Boards have increased from Rs 4,560 crore during 1992-93 to Rs 25,259 crore during 2000-01.

Sayeed said 11,240 villages in the country are yet to be electrified.

Export Insurance: Government is proposing to set up a National Export Insurance Account (NEIA) under Export Credit Guarantee Corporation of India, Commerce and Industry Minister Kamal Nath said.

This is aimed at providing insurance cover to medium and long-term high value project exports, he said.