SAUBHAGYA Scheme - Pradhan Mantri Sahaj Bijli Har Ghar Yojana

SAUBHAGYA Scheme - An Electrification Programme

Introduction -
Electricity is very important for a developing nation. Government of India has decided to provide electricity to all the citizens for improving their life style. Prime Minister of India Narendra Modi has launched a new scheme for this purpose. The scheme is named as Pradhan Mantri Sahaj Bijli Har Ghar Yojana or “Saubhagya”. Under this scheme, every household must get access to electricity within December, 2018. The scheme can be the transition of the policy of Government from electrification to connect the household of the village. 

Need for the SAUBHAGYA Scheme –

• Approximately 304 Million people of India live without electricity.
• Last-Mile Connectivity is one of the hurdles to the process of electrification to every household.
• Urban households were not covered under the Deen Dayal Upadhyay Gram Jyoti Yojana.
• Access to the energy is very important for the growth and development for a nation.

Objective of SAUBHAGYA Scheme –

• To provide electricity to all the willing household of rural and urban India.
• To fund the cost of the “last-mile” connectivity to all households within the end of 2018.
• To provide electricity connections to the remaining un-electrified houses in both of the urban and rural areas. 
• To achieve the universal electrification to all households in the country.

Features of SAUBHAGYA Scheme –

• This scheme would cover approximately 300 Lakh households including 250 Lakh households in the rural area and 50 Lakh households in the urban area.
• The electricity connection would be provided at free of cost to the families under the BPL (Below Poverty Level) category. The beneficiaries would be identified using the 2011 data of “Socio Economic Caste Census” (SECC).
• The people, who do not belong to the BPL category, have to pay Rs. 500 in 10 installments. The must have to pay Rs. 50 along with their electricity Bills for 10 months.
• The cost of using the electricity must be paid by the consumers to the Power Department/ DISCOMS as per the prevailing tariff.
• Solar Power Pack along with the Battery Bank would be provided to all un-electrified households situated in inaccessible and remote areas. 5 LED lights, 1 DC Fan, 1 DC power plug would also be provided. Repair and Maintenance work for 5 years must also be available with it.
• The implementation and operation of the scheme is done by the Rural Electrification Corporation Limited (RECL). 
• The Public Institutions and Gram Panchayat of the rural areas would be responsible for the billing and collection duties.
• The total cost outlay of this scheme is Rs. 16,320 Crore while the GBS (Gross Budgetary Support) is Rs. 12,320 Crore. The fund would be provided by the Government to all the states and Union Territories.
• For the easy implementation of this scheme the Government is using latest technologies (i.e. mobile apps) to perform the household survey.

Advantages of the SAUBHAGYA Scheme-

• It would reduce the use of Kerosene in the rural household and must help India to meet the “Global Climate Change Commitment”.
• It must help the financial poor sections including the backward class people.
• It would improve the health services and education among the rural and poor people.
• It would enhance the connectivity through the radio, television, computer etc.
• There must be more scope of jobs and life style of the people must be better.

Conclusion-
According to the Government, all the villages and households of India must be electrified within 31st December of 2018.

Points to Remember

• Government of India has launched a new scheme to provide electricity to all the citizens of India. 
• The scheme is named as  Pradhan Mantri Sahaj Bijli Har Ghar Yojana or “Saubhagya”. 
• Prime Minister of India Narendra Modi has launched the new scheme.