Pradhan Mantri Sahaj Bijli Har Ghar Yojana (Saubhagya)

- Pradhan Mantri Sahaj Bijli Har Ghar Yojana –“Saubhagya” is a scheme under the Ministry of Power to ensure electrification of all willing households in the country.

Known as one of the largest household electrification drives in the world, the scheme was launched in 2017.

A government announcement in 2018 that the last unconnected Indian village of Leisang in Manipur had been connected to the grid, drew a lot of debate on the official definition of rural electrification in India.
Critics pointed out that quite a large number of Indian households are still without electricity, despite the 100 per cent rural electrification claim, due to lack of last-mile infrastructure and affordability.
Earlier rural electrification schemes such as the ‘Deen Dayal Upadhyaya Gram Jyoti Yojana’ considered a village ‘electrified’ even if it has the basic electrical infrastructure and 10% of its households, as well as public places viz schools, hospitals are connected.
However, this definition had left out many Indian households from getting access to electricity. The Saubhagya scheme’s main intent was to fill this gap.

To provide energy access to all by last mile connectivity and electricity connections to all remaining un-electrified households in rural as well as urban areas to achieve universal household electrification in the country.
Rural Electrification Corporation (REC) has been designated as nodal agency for the Saubhagya scheme.
The electricity connection to households include 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 LED bulb and a mobile charging point.
In case the electricity pole is not available nearby from the household for drawing service cable, the erection of additional pole along with conductor and associated accessories shall also be covered under the scheme.

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.

Pradhan Mantri Sahaj Bijli Har Ghar Yojana -“Saubhagya” has completed four years since its inception.
2.82 crore households have been electrified since the launch of SAUBHAGYA.

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