BHUBANESWAR: Energy Minister Surya Narayan Patro on Thursday announced in the Assembly that electrification of all villages and hamlets in the State will be completed by the Eleventh Five- Year Plan. To a question from Arun Kumar Sahu of BJD, the Minister said 18,017 villages and 48,172 hamlets are without electricity. Out of this, 26 villages were given electricity under the Rajiv Gandhi Grameen Vidyutkaran Yojana (RGGVY). Besides, 1,629 villages/ hamlets were electrified under the Biju Gram Jyoti Yojana. Patro said electrification work has been completed in 262 more villages/ hamlets and connection will be given soon. However, members cutting across party lines were unhappy with the slow progress of rural electrification work. Criticising the State Government for the delay, they demanded measures to expedite the process. To another question from Lalatendu Bidyadhar Mohapatra, Dr Nrusingha Charan Sahu (both Cong) and Anant Das (BJD), the Minister said the Centre had provided financial assistance of Rs 35,705.914 lakh to National Thermal Power Corporation (NTPC), National Hydro Power Corporation (NHPC) and Power Grid Corporation of India Limited (PGCIL) through the Rural Electrification Corporation (REC). NTPC and NHPC have so far completed electrification of 26 villages by spending Rs 11,822.27 lakh, he said. The State Government has made a budget provision of Rs 315 crore for 2007-08 and 2008-09 under the Biju Gram Jyoti Yojana (BGJY). So far, electricity connection has been provided to 1,629 villages/hamlets by spending Rs 1,501.33 lakh. Work is underway in another 2,105 villages, he said.