PRADHAN MANTRI SAHAJ BIJLI HAR GHAR YOJANA
The central government in recent times has introduced a Yojana called Pradhan Mantri Sahaj Bijli Har Ghar Yojana also known as Saubhagya. This Yojana is introduced with a vision of providing access to energy for rural & urban areas and achieve the goal of Universal household electrification in whole country by the means of last mile connectivity. This Yojana believes to cover about 3 crore households. Currently nearly 4 crore households still does not have access to electricity. The Rural Electrification Scheme has also been under implementation since year 2005.
Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi had initiated the Pradhan Mantri Sahaj Bijli Har Ghar Yojana on 25th September 2017, at Deendayal Urja Bhavan, Delhi. The complete outlay of this Scheme or Project is about rupees 16,320 crore, while the Gross Budgetary Support (GSB) is Rupees 12,320 crore. This outlay is divided for urban and rural areas such as rupees 14,025 crore for rural areas with GSB of 10,587.50 crore and outlay of rupees 2,295 crore for urban areas with a GSB of rupees 1,732.50 crore. The government intends to deliver outsized funds for operation of this scheme to all States and Union Territories. The States and Union Territories are obligatory to finish this work of household electrification by December 2018.
The electricity connection to the rural and urban households includes releasing of electricity connection by the means of drawing a service cable from the nearest pole to the household premises then installation of energy water and wiring for a single light point with LED bulbs and even a mobile charging point. If for an instance the electricity pole is unavailable nearby from the household for drawing the cable, then this scheme shall also cover the erection of additional pole along with the conductor and associated accessories.
Features of Saubhagya Yojana
• Substitute electricity to kerosene resulting in environmental upgradation.
• Provide access to electricity to all the willing households.
• Improvement in Public safety
• Development in communication
• Enhancement in health services
• Provide better and quality of life to the women in their everyday jobs.
Highlights of Saubhagya Yojana
• This scheme was launched on 25th September. It was on the event of birth anniversary celebration of Pandit Deen Ddayal Upadhyaya.
• The Ministry of Power will be implementing this scheme.
• This scheme essential objective is to accomplish dissemination of power 24×7 to all the household by 2019 with the means of providing electricity connection for each household across the country.
• This scheme provides subsidy on the equipment such as wires, transformers and meters.
• The power connection will be provided in both urban and rural areas of the country.
Implementation of Saubhagya Scheme
Modern technology such as Mobile App shall be used to conduct household surveys, this will lead to easy and accelerated implementation of the scheme.
Identification of the beneficiaries of this scheme will be done, then their application for electricity connection shall be registered on the spot. They will be asked to submit applicants photograph, identity proof (Aadhar card) along with the applicants form.
The Authorized institutions such as Gram Panchayat or Public Institutions in the rural areas shall be authorized to collect the application forms, along with it additional required credentials are complete documentation and distribution bills. Correspondingly Gram Panchayat and Pubic institution will be authorized to collect revenue in discussion with the Panchayat Raj Institutions and Urban Local Bodies. The Rural Electrification Corporation Limited (REC) will act as the Central agency for the functionalization of Saubhagya Scheme throughout the country.
Distribution Sector of Saubhagya Scheme
The envision of Deendayal Upadhyaya Gram Jyoti Yojana (DDUGJY) is the generation of primary electricity infrastructure in the households of the villages, metering of the existing feeders, distributing transformers, strengthening and amplification of existing infrastructure, to the consumers to mend quality and reliability of power supply in the rural areas. Adjacent to this the household that fall under Below Poverty Line which has been identified by the states as per their list, are also provided with last mile connectivity and free electricity connections. But there are some poor households who do not have the BPL card and they are not capable to pay the charges applicable during the initial connection. Furthermore the rural areas lack awareness in regard of getting connection. There may not be electricity pole near the households and the cost of erection of additional pole or conductor is also charged from the households who want to obtain a connection.
Similarly Integrated Power Development Scheme (IDPS), in urban areas works for creating of necessary infrastructure so as to provide access to electricity. But there are still few households that do not have connection mostly with an explanation of their poor economic condition as they are unable to pay initial charges.
For that reason, Soubhagya is propelled to meet such gaps and systematically address the issues to entry barrier, last mile connectivity and release the electricity connections to all un-electrified households in rural and urban areas.
Economic Growth and Employment Generation.
• With the availability of Electricity in every households, the use of kerosene for the purpose of lighting the house will be condensed and it will assist in reduction in annual subsidy of kerosene. It will also help to reduce the import of petroleum products.
• With electricity in each household, will provide the people with enhanced access to all kind of different communication medium such as television, radio, internet, mobile etc. which will in return help in accessing all the significant information through these communication mediums.
• Having a mode of communication will help farmers to access information concerning the new and enhanced agricultural techniques, quality of seeds and agro based machineries, which will result in substantial proliferation in agricultural production. This will also provide farmers with an opportunity to discover the prospects of setting up an agro based small industries.
• Once Electricity is made available, it will also enable establishment of new shops of daily goods, cottage industries, flour mills, fabrication workshops etc. such economic activities will generate direct as well as indirect employment.
• Once this scheme is implemented, will result in generation of new employment opportunities and it will require skilled and semi-skilled manpower for the execution of works of household electrification
How to Connect with Saubhagya
Ministry of Power has launched Pradhan Mantri Sahaj Bijli Har Ghar Yojana Web Portal. The main purpose of Saubhagya web portal is to confirm transparency. It also works for acceleration of household electrification in urban as well as rural areas of the country
The web portal of is http://saubhagya.gov.in
