Solar Lamp to tribals before election

     Raipur, December 05, 2012: Chhattisgarh cabinet, chaired by Chief Minister Dr Raman Singh, today decided to give solar lamps to tribals free of cost, costing Rs 219 crore from the state exchequer.

     About 13 lakh tribal families, spread over 95 tribal blocks would be provided free of cost solar lamps by the state government, Chief Minister Dr Raman Singh told reporters here at the new Secretariat.

     The state cabinet today also decided to give 16.5 lakh students solar study lamps free of cost, he said.

     Students staying in Ashram Schools and those studying from Standard fourth to twelfth would be covered under this scheme to provide unbreakable and re-chargeable solar lamp.

     The solar lamp for use by tribal families would cost Rs 1300 per piece where as lamp for students would cost Rs 300 per piece, official sources said.

     “A total of Rs 219 crore would be spent on both the schemes,” they said.

     Out of 56,22,850 houses of the state, 42.32 lakh houses have been provided electricity, a state government release said.