‘Electrification of households still lagging in several states’

The data of the Ministry of Power also says that almost 3 crore households are living in darkness.

the Prime Minister.

Under the Saubhagya scheme, free electricity connections to all households (both above poverty line and poor families) in rural areas and poor families in urban areas will be provided.

Under the scheme, an electricity connection means providing the service cable from the power pillar, electricity meter, an LED bulb and a mobile charger point at every home. On the condition of anonymity, a senior power ministry official told The Sunday Guardian: “The government is committed to providing electricity to every household for families living in a remote area.

The government has made provision for providing solar photovoltaic ( SPV) based standalone systems with LED lights, fan, power plug, etc. and the beneficiaries will be identified on the basis of their socio-economic conditions.”

“Rural electrification has been a challenge for successive governments.

In 1947, only 1,500 villages in the country were electrified and since then, successive governments have been working towards the target of achieving 100% electrification, but the goal has not yet been achieved. The incumbent government has made electrification a priority and it is committed to achieving 100% target before completing its five-year term in 2019,” the same official cited above said.