Electricity for all by 2012

Disna Mudalige

The Power and Energy Ministry Under the "Electricity for all by 2012" program will commission 4,593 new Rural Electrification Schemes to provide electricity to all rural households within next two years.

Under this program transmission and distribution network will be expanded to cover the entire country by 2010, said Power and Energy Minister Patali Champika Ranawaka at a media conference yesterday at the Ministry auditorium. Minister stated that a relief scheme will be implemented within a month to assist those who cannot afford the initial cost of electricity connections by providing loans through rural banks such as Sanasa and Samurdhi.

The Ministry also hopes to provide alternative electrical energy sources for rural households that cannot be economically connected to the National Grid by 2012.

To receive and attend to consumer complaints promptly "Call Centres" will be established with communication channels '1901' for the Ministry, '1987' for Ceylon Electricity Board and '1910' for Lanka Electricity Company. A special email address; [email protected] is created for the consumers benefit.