�REB to provide electricity to more rural people�
50 lakh prepaid meters to be installed
BSS
The Rural Electrification Board (REB) has undertaken a project to install 50 lakh prepaid meteres, replacing the electro-magnetic meteres from all Palli Bidyut Samities in the country, reports BSS.
We have taken various projects for the REB to reduce hassle of the customers and bring more rural people under the electricity coverage, state minister for power, energy and mineral resources Nasrul Hamid told BSS yesterday.
He said the ongoing REB activities of constructing distribution lines and providing connections are aimed at bringing 92 per cent people under power facilities by 2018.
According to him, currently 76 per cent people are enjoying electricity access due to bold and dynamic leadership of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina. There is a plan to bring all citizens under power access by 2021, he said.
According to a ministry official, a project for replacing 7, 00,000 prepaid meteres is under
implementation in the 10 Palli Bidyut Samities
adjacent to Dhaka city financed by Asian Development Bank (ADB).
He said the REB installed Master Information Centre (MIC) at its headquarters and necessary Software had also been installed in the MIC under the Quality Prepaid Metering project.
Besides, the Dhaka Palli Bidyut Samity of the REB procured 2,700 prepaid meteres, of which 2,240 meteres were installed at the customer level and set up two Vending station, the official added.
The government is considering a project to construct and upgrade of 39,500 kilometre new electric lines and 118 new substations under own finance aimed at providing connections to 15 lakh customers from 88 per cent of areas of the REB programmes across the country.
Twelve projects including a connection, two prepaid metere, two solar irrigation pump, two transformer replacement and five upgradation projects have been awaiting under the REB development programme.
Meanwhile, the government planned to provide electricity connections to 1.70 crore customers through construction of 4.05 lakh km distribution lines by 2018, while 1.90 crore people would be brought under REB power connection by constructing 4.40 lakh km distribution lines by 2021.
