Roundtable Discussion: “Re-Visiting the Decentralized Distributed Generation DDG Guidelines Under Rajiv Gandhi Grameen Vidyutikaran Yojana (RGGVY)

In order to address the problem of “energy access”, in 2001-02 Government of India pledged to provide “electricity for all by 2012” and both Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE) and Ministry of Power (MoP) launched several programmes – including the flagship scheme for rural electrification, namely Rajiv Gandhi Grameen Vidyutikaran Yojana (RGGVY), in 2005. This programme was further extended with introduction of Decentralized Distributed Generation (DDG) scheme as a part of RGGVY to provide electricity to villages that are remote and where grid extension is not possible. Despite 90% capital subsidy, the scheme has met with very limited success. Idam Infrastructure Advisory Private Limited (Idam Infra) has carried out the assessment of the bottlenecks in the present DDG Guidelines and provided possible recommendations for improvements in the Guidelines. Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC) provided the financial assistance to undertake this study.

To discuss the findings of this study, Idam Infra is organizing a Roundtable Discussion on 6 September 2013 at India Habitat Centre, New Delhi.