Government of India launched the Pradhan Mantri Sahaj Bijli Har Ghar Yojana – Saubhagya in October, 2017 with the objective to achieve universal household electrification for providing electricity connections to all willing un-electrified households in rural areas and all willing poor households in urban areas in the country by March, 2019. All households were reported electrified by the States, except 18,734 households in Left Wing Extremists (LWE) affected areas of Chhattisgarh as on 31.03.2019.
Subsequently, seven States namely Assam, Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand, Karnataka, Manipur, Rajasthan and Uttar Pradesh had reported that around 19.09 lakh un-electrified households, identified before 31.03.2019, which were unwilling earlier but have expressed willingness to get electricity connection. All these seven States have reported 100% household’s electrification as on 31.03.2021. A total of 2.817 crore households have been electrified since the launch of Saubhagya, up to 31.03.2021. Further, 11.84 lakh households have been sanctioned under DDUGJY against which, 4.34 lakh households have been electrified. Accordingly, till date, a total 2.86 crore households have been electrified.
Adequate installed capacity exists in the country to meet the demand including for new household connections under SAUBHAGYA. The total installed capacity of the country stands at 395.6 GW as on 28.02.2022 with average peak demand of 203 GW. The following steps are taken to meet the future demand:
i. Thermal Projects totaling to 28460 MW are under construction in the country.
ii. Presently, there are 36 Large Hydro Projects (above 25 MW) totaling to 12663.5 MW which are under implementation in the country. Out of which, 27 projects totaling to 11427.5 MW are under active construction.
iii. Nuclear projects amounting to 8700 MW capacity are under construction and 7000 MW nuclear power projects have been accorded Administrative Approval and Financial Sanction.
This information was given by Shri R.K Singh, Union Minister for Power and MNRE in a written reply in Lok Sabha today.
