UP to provide SC villages free power connection

Center has asked the UP government to ensure that free electricity connection is provided by May 5, in each household of 3,387 schedule caste dominated villages identified in the state under centrally sponsored `Gram Swarajya Scheme’. UP government has been asked to complete this task on war footing.

The Union minister of energy minister (independent charge) RK Singh said here on Wednesday that the UP government should implement the `SAUBHAGYA’ scheme for providing free electricity connection to the poor on war footing and come what may each household of 3,387 villages be electrified by May 5 next.

``Let there be no hurdles like jurisdiction of district, circle, chief engineer and Distribution Company in providing free electricity connection to each household of 3,387 SC dominated villages. Relax all rules to achieve this target within the available resources. If more money is needed then the Center is willing to provide additional funds for the scheme’’ said the Union minister RK Singh who was in state capital on Wednesday for the review of the implementation of the Gram Swarajya Scheme’ and SAUBHAGYA scheme.   Under both the schemes free electricity connection are being provided to the poor and the SC households in rural areas.

On the Saubhagya scheme the Union minister said `` the state government must ensure that even the non BPL card holders are also provided free electricity   connection  and the poor in urban areas living in 30 sq meter dwelling be also benefitted from the scheme’’.

``The deadline of 1,000 days announced by the prime minister Narendra Modi for electrifying all the villages in May 2015 is ending on May 12 next month while each household is targeted to be electrified under Saubhagya by the end of December this year’’, said the minister adding `` if these targets are achieved then it will be a huge achievement for UP’’.  He said Ghaziabad district has achieved this target where each and every household has been provided with electricity connection.

The Union minister asked the UP Power Corporation and its subsidiaries to bring down the line losses below 15 percent. ``The power distribution companies (Discoms) should draw a road map for reducing the line losses below 15 percent.  The Discoms should submit the project for reducing line losses to the Center otherwise they will not qualify for loan from the Rural electrification Corporation and Power finance corporation’’, said the Union minister.

He said many states like Assam, Jharkhand a and Delhi have achieved spectacular success in reducing the high line losses to the national average of below 15 percent. He said this can be achieved with the application of the latest technology and pre paid and Smart meters will be very effective role in achieving the target.

UP energy minister Srikant Sharma said during the last fiscal 2017-18, as many as 35 Lakh households were provided free electricity connection.  He said under Saubhagya scheme from October 2017 to March 31, 2018, 15.17 Lakh connections were provided   and during this fiscal 1.68 crore families will be provided the electricity connection.  He said in each district a mission manager and mission associates have been appointed for supervising the implementation of the scheme.