Union minister of state (IC) for power and new & renewable energy R K Singh on Tuesday launched Pradhan Mantri Sahaj Bijli Har Ghar Yojana (SAUBHAGYA) in Manipur.

Around 1.75 lakh households, including 1.62 lakh rural households of Manipur will be included under the centre’s scheme.

Rural Electrification Corporation Limited (REC), a Navaratna PSU, under the power ministry is the nodal agency for coordinating the implementation of the scheme.

Singh said that Manipur is the fastest reforming state in the power sector and the state government is performing well in terms of power sector. He further said that it is the vision of the prime minister Narendra Modi to provide electricity to every household of the country. Now the government would come to people’s doorstep to provide power connection to every household, he said. This is such a scheme where the poorest of the poor can afford electricity in their homes. The minister promised that people would get round the clock power supply by March, 2019.

He also assured that the centre would provide the required financial assistance for strengthening and improvement of infrastructure in the power sector in Manipur. Monetary assistance had already been extended for procuring of transformers, meters etc. to strengthen the power sector in the State, he added.

It may be noted that Saubhagya is a scheme launched to achieve universal household electrification in all parts of the country at a cost of Rs 16,320 crore including gross budgetary support (GBS) of Rs 12,320 crore from government of India. Keeping in view the role of electricity in human and socio-economic development, Government of India has formulated the scheme to ensure last mile connectivity and electricity connections to all remaining un-electrified urban and rural households in the country. All States and Union Territories of the country are required to complete household electrification in their respective jurisdiction by 31st March, 2019.