Deendayal Upadhyaya Gram Jyoti Yojana (DDUGJY) is a flagship rural electrification scheme of the Ministry of Power, Government of India. Key goals of this scheme include electrification of all villages, feeder separation, strengthening sub-transmission and distribution networks and metering at all levels. The Deen Dayal Upadhyaya Gram Jyoti Yojana will help in providing round the clock power to rural households and adequate power to agricultural consumers. Prime Minister Narendra Modi launched the scheme on July 25, 2015 in Patna, Bihar.
Background:
Insufficient electricity supply is the main problem in rural areas. As a result, load shedding is common in local distribution networks, which affects the power supply to both agriculture and non-agriculture consumers. With the improvements in living standards and change in consumer base, demand of power in rural areas is increasing day by day. To meet the demand, augmentation of rural infrastructure is necessary. In order to augment the reliability and quality of supply, the distribution networks are needs to be strengthened. Also, to improve the commercial viability of power distribution, there is need for metering of all categories of the consumers.
With a goal to create rural electricity infrastructure and household electrification, the Government of India launched Rajiv Gandhi Grameen Vidyutikaran Yojana (RGGVY) in April 2005. It provided free electricity connections to below poverty line (BPL) households in rural areas. But the power supply scenario remained unchanged and load shedding continued. In 2015, Government of India introduced Deen Dayal Upadhyaya Gram Jyoti Yojana with a goal to further improve the electrification and power supply scenario in rural areas and help to fulfill the vision of 24×7 power to all by 2019.
Deen Dayal Upadhyaya Gram Jyoti Yojana was launched by Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi on July 25, 2015 in Patna, Bihar. Under this scheme, new lines shall be laid and new substations have been planned. It shall ensure better access to electricity in rural areas and also improve agricultural productivity. The earlier scheme (RGGVY) is now merged in the new scheme as its rural electrification component.
Objectives of DDUGJY
- Feeder separation to ensure sufficient power to farmers and regular supply to other consumers.
- Improve the quality and reliability of the supply by strengthening and augmenting the sub-transmission and distribution infrastructure in rural areas.
- Metering at all levels (distribution transformers, feeders and consumers) to reduce the losses.
- Rural electrification. Completion of the RGGVY targets for 12th and 13th Plans by subsuming RGGVY in DDUGJY.
Benefits of DDUGJY
- Electrification of all villages and households.
- Increase in agricultural productivity.
- Growth in business of Small and household enterprises, which will open new avenues for employment.
- Improvement in accessibility to radio, telephone, television, internet and mobile etc.
- Electricity in schools, gram panchayats, hospitals and police stations etc.
- Improvement in Health, Education, Banking (ATM) services.
- Increased opportunities for comprehensive development in rural areas.
- Improvement in social security due to availability of electricity.
Project Outlay:
The estimated total cost of the Deendayal Upadhyaya Gram Jyoti Yojana is Rs. 76000 crore. A grant of Rs 63000 Crore will be provided by the Central Government.