On the occasion of Pandit Deendayal Upadhyaya’s Birth Centenary celebrations in New Delhi on Monday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi launched Sahaj Bijli Har Ghar Yojana or ‘Saubhagya’ scheme.
The scheme’s aim is to empower the poor through access to 24×7 affordable electricity by 2019.
Here is all you need to know about the scheme:
1. The scheme intends to grant access to electricity to ”all willing households”
2. States to complete household electrification by March 31, 2019 under the scheme
3. The total budget of the scheme amounts to Rs 16,320 crore out of which Rs 14,025 crore to be spent on rural households and Rs 2295 crore for urban.
4. While the gross budgetary support from the Central government will be 12,320 crore, the rest of the amount will be generated through loans
5. The scheme aims to improve educational services, provides substitution to kerosene, more job opportunities and an improved quality of life, particularly for women.
7. Government to not charge any fee from the poor for an electricity connection and provide five LED lights, a fan and a battery bank to remote areas.
(Feature image source: Reuters)