Context:
The Meghalaya Lokayukta recently issued notifications to the former chief secretary and other former officials of the Meghalaya Energy Corporation Limited (MeECL) for their alleged irregularities in the implementation of the Saubhagya scheme in the state.
Relevance:
GS II: Government Policies and Interventions
About Saubhagya Scheme:
- Launch:
- The Government of India initiated the Pradhan Mantri Sahaj Bijli Har Ghar Yojana (SAUBHAGYA) in October 2017.
- Objective:
- Achieving universal household electrification by providing electricity connections to all un-electrified households in rural areas and all poor households in urban areas.
- Provisions:
- Under the Saubhagya scheme, LED bulbs, wire, holders, switches, etc., are provided to BPL families free of cost.
- Salient Features:
- Last-mile connectivity and electricity connections to all un-electrified households in rural areas.
- Solar Photo Voltaic (SPV)-based standalone systems for un-electrified households in remote and inaccessible villages where grid extension is not feasible or cost-effective.
- Last mile connectivity and electricity connections to all remaining economically poor un-electrified households in urban areas (excluding non-poor urban households).
- Cost and Implementation:
- In rural areas, families other than BPL families must pay Rs. 500 for the electricity connection, payable in 10 equal installments of Rs. 50. BPL families in urban areas will receive free power connections.
- Families in rural areas, where grid supply is not possible, will receive electricity through solar energy.
- Nodal Agency:
- The Rural Electrification Corporation (REC) is designated as the nodal agency for the Saubhagya scheme.
- Beneficiaries Identification:
- Beneficiaries for free electricity connections are identified using the Socio Economic and Caste Census (SECC) 2011 data.
-Source: Hindustan Times
