SAUBHAGYA- Pradhan Mantri Sahaj Bijli Har Ghar Yojana

While inching towards achieving 100% village electrification, Govt. of India also focused in
achieving electrification of all un-electrified households in the country.
Taking consideration of various studies, it came to light that major barriers in household
electrification was lack of awareness, cost of obtaining new connections, complexity and other
logistics difficulty faced in obtaining connections. Paying special attention to these
requirements, Govt. of India systematically designed and launched a scheme Pradhan Mantri
Sahaj Bijli Har Ghar Yojana – Saubhagya, in October 2017 focusing on last mile connectivity and
electricity connections to all the unelectrified households in the country. Saubhagya scheme is
one of the world’s biggest Universal electrification initiative with collaborative and concerted
efforts of Centre and States. It is a concurrent program to Deen Dayal Upadhyaya Gram Jyoti
Yojana’ (DDUGJY).
Salient features:

• Free metered connection for economically poor households and a charge of Rs. 500 (adjusted in electricity bills in 10 monthly instalments) for households other than poor, only after release of connection.
• Establishing camps in villages/ cluster of villages for on spot registration
• Use of Mobile App for identification of beneficiaries and electronic registration including requisite documentation
• Web based near real-time monitoring and updating of progress
• SPV based standalone systems for households located in remote/ difficult areas
• Communication plan for creating awareness about the scheme and its benefits
• Flexibility to States in mode of implementation (Departmental/ Turnkey/ Semi-turnkey)

The scheme outlay is ₹16,320 crore, including Gross Budgetary Support of ₹12,320 crore. REC is
the Nodal Agency for operationalization of the scheme.
The SAUBHAGYA scheme aims at providing:
a) Last mile connectivity and electricity connection to all un-electrified households in rural
areas;
b) Last mile connectivity and electricity connection to all remaining economically poor un electrified households in urban areas. Non-poor urban households are excluded from this
scheme;
c) Solar Photovoltaic (SPV) based standalone system for un-electrified households located in
remote and inaccessible villages/habitations, where grid extension is not feasible or cost
effective.
Under the scheme, ₹14,109 crore (including grant of ₹9,093 crore) has been sanctioned by the
Ministry of Power to 26 States/Union Territories, against which ₹8,840.9 Cr (incl. grant of
₹5,408.44Crorehas been released till June 30, 2021.As at 31st March 2019, country achieved
electrification of 262.84 lakh households under Saubhagya (except a miniscule number of
18374 households in LWE areas of Chhattisgarh). – a remarkable progress made in a record 18
months. The achievement of Universal household electrification, which implies 100% access to
electricity has been certified by the Chief Secretaries of States. Further, on the request of 7
States (Assam, Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand, Karnataka, Manipur, Rajasthan and Uttar Pradesh), the
Ministry of Power accorded time extension approval to electrify additional 19.09 lakh un electrified households, which were unwilling earlier to get electrified and had expressed their
willingness before March 2019. 18.85 lakh households have been electrified in respect of the
same and the States have reported 100% electrification of all willing households identified
before 31st March 2019