SSC Descriptive Paper TIER 2
On 25th September, 2017 Prime Minister Narendra Modi launched Rs. 16,320-Crore Pradhan Mantri Sahaj Bijli Har Ghar Yojana, or Saubhagya, to provide electricity connections to over 4 crore families in rural and urban areas by December 2018. As of now around 99.5% of Six lakh villages have been electrified. Government will provide free electricity to all under privileged households identified under Socio-Economic and Caste Census (SECC) data 2011. Socio Economic Caste Census (SECC) of 2011 will be used as the basis to determine the beneficiaries for free electricity connections. The other un-electrified households are required to bear a charge of Rs. 500 in order to get an electricity connection, which the electricity distribution companies of India (DISCOMS) would recover in 10 installments as a part of their electricity bill.
This scheme comes with key features like providing solar power packs of 200 to 300 whr with battery bank along with 5 LED lights to Un-electrified households located in remote areas , 1DC fan, 1DC power plug including Repair and Maintenance for 5 years. The Rural Electrification Corporation Limited (REC) is the nodal agency for operationalization of scheme. Modern technology using mobile app will be used for household survey. The benefits of the scheme include increased economic activities and jobs, improved quality of life especially for women, enhanced connectivity through radio, television, mobiles etc., environmental upgradation by substitution of kerosene for lighting purposes, lighting after the sunset providing an enhanced personal safety especially for women, boosting education services across all areas and quality lighting post sunset would facilitate more time on studies and progress in prospective careers and substitution of kerosene lighting purposes resulting in reduction in indoor pollution there by saving people from health hazards.
But it has some of its own issues like Saubhagya scheme does very little to address the problem of affordability.
- Improving affordability require that supply be increased drastically to lower the price paid by retail consumers.
- Even through it provides electricity connections free of cost, but it will not address the recurring burden of power bills.
- Amidst the govt’s claims that India is a power surplus nation, the power generation utilizes remain vastly under-utilised.
The plant load factors (PLF) of coal and lignite-based plants, an indicator of capacity utilization of power generation units has dropped from 77.5% in 2009-10 to 59.88% in 2016-17, according to Central Electricity Authority.
However the scheme will bolster the country’s economy and bring multiple benefits to the needy population.The scheme will help India, the world’s third-largest energy consumer after the US and China, to help meet its global climate change commitments as electricity will substitute kerosene for lighting purposes.
