india

Updated: Dec 14, 2014 00:17 IST

The Centre on Saturday showered Rajasthan chief minister Vasundhara Raje with lavish gifts to mark her one year in office, ostensibly as a show of gratitude to the state which gave 25 MPs in the BJP’s triumphant march to Delhi.

Prime minister Narendra Modi despatched two Union ministers -- Nitin Gadkari and Piyush Goyal – to Jaipur to make the announcements at the official one-year celebrations.

Raje was sworn in as the chief minister on December 13 last year after leading the party to a landslide victory bagging 163 seats in the 200-member assembly.

She then led the party to a clean sweep in the Lok Sabha polls, winning all 25 seats.

Goyal, the minister of state (independent charge) for power, coal, new and renewable energy, said that all houses and schools across Rajasthan would be electrified in the next four years.

The minister announced two ambitious schemes - Deen Dayal Upadhyaya Gram Jyoti and Integrated Power Development Scheme for Rajasthan.

He also announced that three solar parks would be opened in the state.

Goyal announced the schemes while addressing a huge gathering at Janpath here.

He said Rs 5000 crore would be spent on the schemes and electricity would be provided to each household irrespective of the number of inhabitants. Goyal said additional Rs 5000 would be provided to Rajasthan as loan and the state government would have to provide only 10% of the amount for electrification.

"We will create a web of energy infrastructure to provide electricity to every house" he said.

Goyal said two solar parks would be opened in Jodhpur while one would be opened at Jaisalmer to generate 2700 megawatt electricity.

“I have also conceptualised a new scheme energy efficiency and energy conservation under which old equipment would be replaced,” said Goyal adding that Raje suggested replacing old street lights with LED ones.

Goyal assured that Rajasthan would soon get its two coal blocks which were cancelled by the Supreme Court.

He said under Swachh Bharat Abhiyan, his ministry would assist the state government in construction of 4950 toilets in 2785 schools.

Road transport and highways minister Nitin Gadkari unveiled the plaques to lay the foundation stones of nine highways projects worth Rs 3,830 crore and assured support to promote tourism in the state by improving its infrastructure.