Bhubaneswar: Data released by the Ministry of Power claims that after the launch of the Saubhagya scheme by the Centre in 2017, it has been able to electrify 94 per cent of the unelectrified households in the state and is now nearing completion of electrifying 100 per cent household.
The scheme christened Pradhan Mantri Sahaj Bijli Har Ghar Yojana –“Saubhagya” was launched by the Union government October 11, 2017 to ensure electrification of all willing households in the country’s rural as well as urban areas. As per information available on the scheme till December 18, it has now been able to cover 94 per cent households.
The data claims that since October 11, 2017 a total of 22,64,246 unelectrified households in Odisha got electricity under the Soubhagya scheme – which is 94.25 per cent of the all targeted households in the state under the scheme.
The ministry claims that as present 1,38,131 households in Odisha – which is about 5.75 per cent of the targeted households, are yet to be electrified in the state. After electrifying the remaining 1,38,131 households in the state, the Centre would declare 100 per cent household level electrification. It has already declared Odisha 100 per cent village electrification under the rural electrification programme of Deen Dayal Gramin Vidyutikaran Yojana.
The objective of the ‘Saubhagya’ is to provide energy access to all by last mile connectivity and electricity connections to all remaining un-electrified households in rural as well as urban areas to achieve universal household electrification in the country.
The ministry had earlier planned to complete the works of household electrification by the December 31, 2018. As per the norms of the scheme, the beneficiaries for free electricity connections under the scheme would be identified using Socio Economic and Caste Census (SECC) 2011 data. However, un-electrified households not covered under the SECC data would also be provided electricity connections.
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