New Delhi [India], February 13 (ANI): The Government of India has been supporting states in providing quality power to all consumers through schemes such as the Deen Dayal Upadhyaya Gram Jyoti Yojana (DDUGJY), Pradhan Mantri Sahaj Bijli Har Ghar Yojana (SAUBHAGYA), and the Revamped Distribution Sector Scheme (RDSS).
According to the Ministry of Power, the objective of DDUGJY was to connect every inhabited, un-electrified census village with electricity and to strengthen the rural electricity distribution system. The objective of SAUBHAGYA was to achieve universal household electrification by providing electricity connections to all willing un-electrified households in rural areas and all willing poor households in urban areas across the country by March 2019.
The definition of an “electrified village” follows the Rural Electrification Policy, 2006. However, under SAUBHAGYA, electrification of all households was undertaken, an effort that continues under the ongoing RDSS scheme.
As reported by the States and Union Territories, all inhabited un-electrified census villages in the country were electrified by April 28, 2018. A total of 18,374 villages were electrified under DDUGJY, including 49.25 lakh Below Poverty Line (BPL) households.
Under DDUGJY and subsequently under SAUBHAGYA, electrification of all willing households was completed by March 31, 2019, as reported by the States and Union Territories. During the SAUBHAGYA period alone, a total of 2.86 crore households were electrified. Both DDUGJY and SAUBHAGYA were closed as of March 31, 2022, the release stated.
Under the RDSS, on-grid electrification works amounting to Rs 6,521 crore have been sanctioned for 13.65 lakh households, including households belonging to Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Groups (PVTGs) identified under PM-JANMAN, Scheduled Tribe households under DA-JGUA, Scheduled Caste households under PM-AJAY, and households in remote and border areas under the Vibrant Village Programme, wherever feasible.
Out of these, 2.93 lakh households have been electrified to date, according to official data. (ANI)
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