SAUBHAGYA completes Four years of successful implementation

What is the News?

SAUBHAGYA Scheme has completed four years of successful implementation.

What is the Saubhagya Scheme?

The SAUBHAGYA Scheme was announced by the Prime Minister in 2017. 

Objective: To achieve Universal Household Electrification in the country through last-mile connectivity and providing access to electricity to all un-electrified households in rural areas and poor households in urban areas.

Nodal Agency: REC Limited (Rural Electrification Corporation) has been designated as the nodal agency for the Saubhagya scheme.

What are the key features of the Scheme?

All DISCOMs including Private Sector DISCOMs, State Power Departments and RE Cooperative Societies shall be eligible for financial assistance under the scheme in line with Deendayal Upadhyaya Gram Jyoti Yojana (DDUGJY).

The prospective beneficiary households for free electricity connections under the scheme would be identified using SECC 2011 data. 

However, un-electrified households not covered under SECC data would also be provided electricity connections under the scheme on payment of Rs. 500 which shall be recovered by DISCOMs in 10 instalments through electricity bill. 

The electricity connection to households includes the release of electricity connections by drawing a service cable from the nearest pole to the household premise, installation of an energy meter, wiring for a single light point with an LED bulb and a mobile charging point.

What is the present status of the Scheme?

As of March 31st, 2021 India has provided electricity access to 2.82 crore households as part of the Saubhagya scheme. Saubhagya Scheme will continue its work of providing a 24×7 quality power supply to all. 

All states have been requested to launch special campaigns in their respective states to identify any left out un-electrified households and subsequently provide electricity connections to them. A dedicated toll-free helpline has also been launched for that purpose.

Source: This post is based on the article “SAUBHAGYA completes Four years of successful implementation” published in PIB on 25th Sep 2021.