The Pradhan Mantri Sahaj Bijli Har Ghar Yojana (SAUBHAGYA) was launched in Manipur today, by Union Minister of State (IC) for Power and New & Renewable Energy, R.K. Singh and N. Biren Singh, Chief Minister of Manipur. A total of approximately 1.75 lakh households (1.62 lakh rural households and 0.13 lakh urban households) of Manipur are proposed to be included under the Scheme. Addressing the media at the function, Shri R.K. Singh said that Manipur is the fastest reforming state in Power sector in the country and the Manipur Government is performing well in terms of power sector in the State.R.K. Singh further said that it is the vision of the Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi to provide electricity to every household of the country. Now the Government would come to people’s doorstep to provide power connection to every household. This is such a scheme where the poorest of the poor can afford electricity in their homes. The Minister promised that people would get 24x7 power supply by March, 2019. For achieving this target, the Government has already given obligation to private companies to provide 24x7 power supply to every household, he added.
Union Minister also assured that the Government of India would provide the required financial assistance for strengthening and improvement of infrastructure in the power sector in Manipur. Monetary assistance had already been extended for procuring of transformers, meters etc. to strengthen the power sector in the State, he added.On the occasion, Shri N. Biren Singh said that under the dynamic leadership of Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi, the Saubhagya Scheme would transform the lives, especially poorest of the poor by providing power supply to every household of the country. It may be noted that Saubhagya is a scheme launched to achieve universal household electrification in all parts of the Country at a cost of Rs. 16,320 crore including Gross Budgetary Support (GBS) of Rs. 12,320 crores from Government of India. Keeping in view the role of electricity in human and socio-economic development, Government of India has formulated the scheme to ensure last mile connectivity and electricity connections to all remaining un-electrified urban and rural households in the country.
All States and Union Territories of the country are required to complete household electrification in their respective jurisdiction by 31st March, 2019. Rural Electrification Corporation Limited (REC), a Navaratna CPSE under the Ministry of Power has been appointed as the nodal agency for coordinating the implementation of the scheme. The prospective beneficiary households for free electricity connections under the scheme will be identified using Socio Economic and Caste Census (SECC), 2011 data. The launch ceremony was held in the august presence of Shri. Th. Biswajit Singh, Minister for PWD/R&D & PR/ Comm. & Ind/Power/Admn. Reforms and Training/I.P.R., Government of Manipur, and other senior officers representing the Union Ministry of Power and the State Government.