India to provide power to all by 2012

NEW DELHI, Dec. 3 (UPI) -- India says it will provide power to all its citizens by 2012 under the new National Electricity Policy.

"The National Electricity Policy envisages power for all by 2012 and per capita availability of power to be increased to over 1,000 units by 2011-12. In order to achieve this, total capacity addition of 100,000 megawatts is required during the 10th and 11th five-year plan period," Power Minister Sushil Kumar Shinde told Parliament Monday.

Shinde said based on the actual capacity addition of 21,180 MW during the 10th plan, a capacity addition of 78,577 MW has been proposed during the 11th plan. With this proposed addition, the demand for power in the country as a whole is likely to be fully met by the terminal year of 11th plan (2011-12).

"The proposed capacity addition during the 11th plan also includes 4,443 MW in Andhra Pradesh in the state and private sector. Besides, this, Andhra Pradesh will also have share in the central sector projects, which are likely to yield benefit during 11th plan in the southern region," Shinde said.