Who Benefits Most from Rural Electrification? Evidence in India

This paper applies an econometric analysis to estimate the average and distribution benefits of rural electrification using rich household survey data from India. The results support that rural electrification helps to reduce time allocated to fuelwood collection by household members and increases time allocated to studying by boys and girls. Rural electrification also increases the labor supply of men and women, schooling of boys and girls, and household per capita income and expenditure. Electrification also helps reduce poverty. But the larger share of benefits accrues to wealthier rural households, with poorer ones having more limited use of electricity. The analysis also shows that restricted supply of electricity, due to frequent power outages, negatively affects both household electricity connection and its consumption, thereby reducing the expected benefits of rural electrification.

Bibliographic Details

Main Authors:	Ali, Rubaba, Khandker, Shahidur R., Barnes, Douglas F., Samad, Hussain A.
Language:	English en_US
Published:	World Bank, Washington, DC 2012-06
Subjects:	ACCESS TO ELECTRICITY, ADULT EDUCATION, AGRICULTURAL LAND, AGRICULTURAL YIELDS, AIR POLLUTION, ALTERNATE FUELS, APPLIANCE OWNERSHIP, APPROACH, AVAILABILITY, BASIC FUEL, BENEFITS OF ELECTRIFICATION, BETTER ACCESS TO INFORMATION, BIOMASS, BIOMASS FUELS, BULK TARIFFS, CARBON EMISSIONS, CHARCOAL, COMMERCIAL FUELS, CONNECTED HOUSEHOLDS, COVERS, DEMAND FOR ELECTRICITY, DISTRIBUTIONAL EFFECTS, ELECTRIC APPLIANCES, ELECTRIC LIGHTING, ELECTRIC PUMPS, ELECTRICITY, ELECTRICITY ACCESS, ELECTRICITY CONSUMPTION, ELECTRICITY DEMAND, ELECTRICITY GENERATION, ELECTRICITY POLICY, ELECTRICITY SERVICE, ELECTRICITY SERVICES, ELECTRICITY SUPPLY, ELECTRICITY USE, ELECTRICITY USERS, ELECTRIFICATION PROGRAMS, EMPLOYMENT, ENERGY EXPENDITURE, ENERGY NEEDS, ENERGY SECTOR MANAGEMENT ASSISTANCE, ENERGY SERVICES, ENERGY SOURCES, ENERGY STRATEGIES, ENERGY USE, FAMINE, FARM INCOME, FOOD EXPENDITURE, FOOD ITEMS, FOOD-FOR-WORK, FUEL, FUEL USE, FUELS, FUELWOOD, GENERATION, GRID ELECTRICITY, GROUNDWATER, HEATING, HOUSEHOLD ACCESS, HOUSEHOLD CHORES, HOUSEHOLD CONSUMPTION, HOUSEHOLD ELECTRICITY CONSUMPTION, HOUSEHOLD ENERGY, HOUSEHOLD ENERGY USE, HOUSEHOLD HEAD, HOUSEHOLD INCOME, HOUSEHOLD PER CAPITA INCOME, HOUSEHOLD SIZE, HOUSEHOLD SURVEY, HOUSEHOLD WELFARE, HUMAN CAPITAL, HUMAN CAPITAL ENDOWMENTS, HUMAN DEVELOPMENT, HYDRO POWER, HYDRO POWER STATIONS, INCIDENCE OF POVERTY, INCOME GROWTH, INCOME-GENERATING ACTIVITIES, IRRIGATION, KEROSENE, KEROSENE CONSUMPTION, KEROSENE LAMPS, LAND ASSETS, LIQUEFIED PETROLEUM GAS, MACHINERY, MONTHLY CONSUMPTION, NATIONAL RURAL ELECTRIC, NONFARM INCOME, PETROLEUM, PETROLEUM GAS, POOR, POOR COMMUNITIES, POOR LIVING, POVERTY ALLEVIATION, POVERTY INCIDENCE, POVERTY INDICATORS, POVERTY LINE, POVERTY REDUCTION, POWER, PRESSURE, PRICE OF ELECTRICITY, PRIMARY ENERGY, PRIMARY ENERGY SOURCE, PUMPS, RURAL, RURAL AREAS, RURAL DEVELOPMENT, RURAL ELECTRIC, RURAL ELECTRICITY, RURAL ELECTRIFICATION, RURAL ELECTRIFICATION PROGRAM, RURAL HOUSEHOLD, RURAL HOUSEHOLDS, RURAL LIFE, RURAL PEOPLE, RURAL POPULATION, RURAL REGIONS, RURAL VILLAGES, SOCIAL PROGRAMS, SUPPLY OF ELECTRICITY, TELEVISION, TOOLS, TRADITIONAL BIOMASS, TRANSMISSION UTILITY, USE OF ELECTRICITY, USE OF ENERGY, VILLAGE ELECTRIFICATION, WELFARE INDICATORS,
Online Access:	http://documents.worldbank.org/curated/en/2012/06/16391428/benefits-most-rural-electrification-evidence-india https://hdl.handle.net/10986/9328
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