Saturday, February 4 2006 15:37 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

Neyveli(TN): Prime Minister Manmohan Singh said today(Feb 4,2006) improving power generation, transmission and electricity distribution is a 'national priority.'

"Our Government is making all out efforts to improve generation, transmission and distribution of electricity so that each and every household in the country will have access to it. This is a national priority," he said while inaugurating the Neyveli Lignite Corporation's mine expansion programme here.

The Prime Minister also inaugurated the Golden Jubilee celebrations of the NLC.

Singh said power is a crucial infrastructure for socio- economic development and supply of quality power at reasonable rates would make it affordable to rural population and make Indian industries competitive.

The new investment would benefit the people of Tamil Nadu and the entire region.

"India has to depend on coal and lignite for most of its commercial energy requirement, for many years to come" he said.

"Tamil Nadu has been blessed with an abundant supply of lignite, almost 80 per cent of the country's reserves. Since this region is far away from the coal belt, it is essential that lignite reserves are effectively used to meet energy needs in the South," he said.

Referring to the National Rural Health Mission and praising the work of Union Health Minister Dr Anbumani Ramadoss,the Prime Minister said the mission would ensure that in a few years "We will be able to provide basic health care facilities to our rural people".

The National Rural Employment Guarantee Act would ensure that no one willing to do work would go hungry.

"It is a revolutionary step towards eradicating poverty. It will be implemented through our panchayat system," he said.

Singh said under the Bharat Nirman scheme, Government would provide a connecting road, a telephone, safe drinking water and electricity in every village in four years.

"I am confident that the way we are managing the economy and with all the steps we are taking for development, we will be in a position to eradicate poverty within a decade," he said.