Maha to achieve 100% electrification

Every household in Maharashtra may soon have power connection as the state is nearly ready to achieve the ‘100% electrification’ status by November-end, according to the Maharashtra State Electricity Distribution Company Limited (MSEDCL).

Data from MSEDCL says only 4,234 households in the state are yet to be provided power connection.

These include 3,583 households in Nandurbar, 642 in Gadchiroli and nine in Gondia.

In October 2017, the state had undertaken the initiative to provide free electricity connection to rural villages under the Pradhan Mantri Har Ghar Bijli Sahaj Yojana or Saubhagya, launched by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in September 2017.

According to a survey conducted in October 2017, 8.46 lakh households in the state had no electricity. As of October 2018, 8.42 lakh households have got electricity connection.

PS Patil, chief public relations officer, MSEDCL said, “Under Saubhagya, the target to achieve 100% electricity is December 2018. However, we are confident of achieving it by November.”

Patil also said, “In places where there is no infrastructure to provide electricity, we will make arrangements for solar power.”

State-owned MSEDCL is a major power player in the state and supplies power to 2,41,49,521 crore households.

Before the scheme was announced, 2,33,03061 crore households already had power, officials said.

The Saubhagya scheme, pegged at ₹16,320 crore, will provide free electric connections to an estimated 4 crore households.

As an incentive, the power ministry had also announced a ₹100-crore reward to states that would complete household electrification early.

Apart from the distribution companies, the employees will also get a ₹50-lakh award.

MUMBAI: