Uttar Pradesh plans light for all in one year to power 2019 polls

NEW DELHI: In order to add pace to the prime minister’s Saubhagya scheme to electrify over four crore households across the country in one year, Uttar Pradesh has decided to set up committees in each district and encourage competition among them to emerge as the best performer on set parameters.

Out of the 4.12 cr un-electrified households to be covered under the scheme by December 2018, 1.56 cr households are in UP. “In the state’s development agenda, power for all is very important and ‘Saubhagya’ scheme has been included in the top priorities,” UP chief secretary Rajiv Kumar had written to all DMs on December 13. Kumar has asked all districts to set up a committee for the scheme.

“You are expected to take personal interest and leadership of the scheme to ensure speed in implementation so that your district emerges on top in the scheme’s progress,” the chief secretary told all DMs. UP has also submitted a financial plan to the Centre.

A senior party functionary said the scheme could be a game-changer before the 2019 polls. “It is a major task with only one year left,” the functionary said. Electricity is a major issue in UP and ‘Saubhagya’ is seen similar to Narendra Modi’s electrical success as Gujarat chief minister by bringing 24X7 power in Gujarat villages.

UP has 52% electrification, only better than Bihar (48%) and Jharkhand (45%). The maximum un-electrified households in UP are in Azamgarh (5.21 lakh), Bahraich (4.89 lakh), Lakhimpur Kheri (4.63 lakh), Ghazipur (4.29 lakh) and Jaunpur (4.03 lakh). Districts like Sonbhadra, Saharanpur, Jalaun, Jhansi and Lalitpur are the least electrified ones in UP.

Under the Saubhagya scheme, poor families in both urban and rural areas are to be provided metered electricity connections freeof-cost while above-poverty-line families in rural areas are to be charged Rs 50 per month for 10 months for the same. UP has nominated the UP Power Corporation as the nodal agency to coordinate with the central nodal agency for the project, the Rural Electrification Corporation Limited.