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Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Saubhagya: Aiming for good luck with new name

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Rural electrification

[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]A new name, a new extended deadline, a new, expanded budget for an old scheme with the same old goal: total electrification. This is the Pradhan Mantri Sahaj Bijli Har Ghar Yojana – ‘Saubhagya’, meaning ‘good luck’ – scheme that aims to provide electricity connections to “all willing households” across both urban and rural areas, announced with much fanfare by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday, the birth centenary of Deen Dayal Upadhyaya.

The scheme, pegged at Rs 16,320 crore, will provide free electric connections to an estimated 4 crore poor households.

Here are the elements of the scheme, compiled from government releases and media reports:

– Saubhagya scheme aims to provide electricity to all families in India

– It will provide free electricity connection to poor families of India

– It will give access to electricity to all ‘willing’ households

– Total outlay of the project is Rs. 16, 320 crore while the Gross Budgetary Support (GBS) is Rs. 12,320 crore.

– Outlay for rural households is Rs. 14,025 crore while the GBS is Rs. 10,587.50 crore. For the urban households, the outlay is Rs. 2,295 crore while GBS is Rs. 1,732.50 crore.

– Government of India will provide most of the funds for the Scheme to all States/UTs.

– States and Union Territories are required to complete the works of household electrification by the 31st of December 2018.

– Beneficiaries for free electricity connections would be identified using Socio Economic and Caste Census (SECC) 2011 data.

– An un-electrified households not covered under the SECC data would also be provided electricity connections under the scheme on payment of Rs. 500 which shall be recovered by DISCOMs in 10 instalments through electricity bill.

– Solar power packs of 200 to 300 Wp with battery bank for un-electrified households located in remote and inaccessible areas, comprises of Five LED lights, One DC fan, One DC power plug. It also includes the Repair and Maintenance (R&M) for 5 years.

– Though the power connections, that will cost between Rs 2,500 to Rs 4,000, will be given free, the government has said there would not be any subsidy for monthly consumption of electricity. Consumers will have to pay the bill as per their utilisation.

– All power meters will have technology driven registration, payment and consumer billing to avoid any leakage. There will be both centre and state-level monitoring and web-based monitoring mechanism of the scheme.

– 90% of the targeted un-electrified households falls in the more than 10 states including Bihar, Uttar Pradesh, Maharashtra, Odisha and J&K.

Modi government aims to achieve with the scheme:

(a) Environmental upgradation by substitution of Kerosene for lighting purposes

(b) Improvement education services

(c) Better health services

(d) Enhanced connectivity through radio, television, mobiles, etc.

(e) Increased economic activities and jobs

(f) Improved quality of life especially for women

The government also hopes that by pumping Rs 16000 crore into the economy, additional job opportunities may open up.

There is little that is new in the scheme. The same wine has seen several ‘new bottles’. Earlier, we had Garv, Garv-II, IPDS, DDUGJY, Uday and Ujala and now, Saubhagya has joined the long list of schemes promising ‘power for all’.

Basically, the new scheme would provide more central funds, mostly for subsidy. Under the Deendayal Upadhyaya Gram Jyoti Yojna (DDUGJY) launched in July 2015, the central government already gives subsidies to states to provide free connections to people living below the poverty line. Besides, the DDUGJY was a revised version of the Rajiv Gandhi Grameen Vidyutikaran Yojana (RGGVY) that the Congress-led UPA government had announced in 2005. Under that programme too, the central government gave a subsidy to states to provide free electricity connections that the poor.

At the time of Independence, only 1,500 villages were electrified. Between 2005-2012, during the tenure of the UPA government, 104,496 villages were electrified and connections were provided to 21.5 million households. Of these, 19 million households were provided free connections.

When the Modi government announced the new avatar of the rural electrification scheme, only 18,452 villages remained without power. In 2015, Modi had set a target of 1,000 days for electrifying the 18,452 villages that did not have electricity connection. Of these, 14,483 are mentioned as electrified on the GARV dashboard, which captures real-time data for rural electrification. However, while the speed of progress in powering villages is laudable, household electrification data remain dismal.

Currently, as per the Centre’s 2006 rural electrification policy, a village is declared to be electrified if 10% of the households are given electricity along with public places such as schools, panchayat office, health centres, dispensaries and community centres. Nowhere does the definition talk about actual electricity connection or its supply to the household.

This is why 99.5 per cent villages in the country have been deemed “electrified” even though of the 170 million households, 40 million remain to be fully electrified. Also, 24×7 power is still a far cry even for the electrified households.

On Monday, Narendra Modi said the government will electrify 2,986 remaining villages by December 2017 to help take power to all households by December 2018.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row]

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DMK leader’s son arrested after car rams family in Krishnagiri, one dead

A 20-year-old son of a DMK leader has been arrested for allegedly driving a car into four members of a family in Krishnagiri, killing assistant labour inspector Sivamoorthy.

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DMK leader

A 20-year-old son of a leader from the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) has been arrested for allegedly mowing down four members of a family following a heated argument in Tamil Nadu’s Krishnagiri district. One person died in the incident, police said.

The deceased has been identified as Sivamoorthy, an assistant labour inspector and a resident of Krishnagiri. According to the police, the incident occurred outside his residence after the accused, identified as Adithya, objected to a two-wheeler parked on the road.

Police said Adithya was driving the car and began honking as the two-wheeler was blocking the road. Sivamoorthy and his family members reportedly stepped out to move the vehicle. During the exchange that followed, an altercation broke out.

Investigators allege that Adithya then rammed his car into Sivamoorthy, his son Kirubakaran, daughter-in-law Amsavalli and granddaughter Nilani. Sivamoorthy sustained severe injuries and later succumbed. The others were injured in the incident.

Besides Adithya, two of his friends — Rithik Kumar and Harish — who were present in the car at the time, have also been arrested. A case of murder has been registered against the trio and further investigation is underway.

Kirubakaran, recounting the incident, said the family had attempted to move the parked two-wheeler when the accused damaged it. He alleged that the men appeared intoxicated and tried to assault them with a stick before the vehicle was driven into the family.

Amsavalli said they had tried to defuse the situation peacefully but the confrontation turned violent, resulting in her father-in-law’s death and injuries to her child.

A police officer stated that Adithya’s father is a local functionary of the DMK in Krishnagiri district. The victim’s family has demanded strict action in the case.

Reacting to the incident, state BJP chief Nainar Nagendran criticised the ruling Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam, questioning the state government over the episode and alleging that party functionaries were misusing their influence.

Police said the probe is ongoing.

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Security tightened across Delhi metro stations after bomb threat emails

Delhi is on high alert after bomb threat emails targeted metro stations, the Red Fort and the Assembly. Authorities confirmed the threats were hoaxes but tightened security as a precaution.

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Delhi Metro

Security has been intensified across all metro stations and major installations in the national capital after a series of bomb threat emails were received on Monday. Authorities later confirmed that the threats were hoaxes following detailed inspections by security agencies.

According to officials, several key institutions — including the Delhi Secretariat, Delhi Assembly, the Red Fort and two schools — received threatening emails earlier in the day. Extensive searches were carried out at all the locations mentioned in the messages, but nothing suspicious was found.

A senior police officer said cyber teams are working to trace the origin of the emails. Preliminary findings suggest that the senders may have used Virtual Private Networks (VPNs) in an attempt to conceal their identities and mislead investigators. Officials expressed confidence that those responsible would be identified.

Metro stations under heightened surveillance

Following specific references to metro services in the emails, security arrangements were strengthened across the entire network of the Delhi Metro Rail Corporation. Additional personnel have been deployed at stations, and anti-sabotage checks are being conducted.

Police said random frisking of passengers and intensified CCTV surveillance are being carried out as part of precautionary measures. Bomb disposal squads and dog squads were stationed at sensitive sites, including the Red Fort, Delhi Secretariat and the Assembly complex.

The threatening emails reportedly included the slogan “Delhi banega Khalistan” and warned of explosions at an Army school, the Assembly and the Red Fort at specific times during the day. Officials stated that all mentioned locations were thoroughly checked and declared safe.

Authorities also coordinated with counterparts in neighbouring states to enhance security at metro stations falling under their jurisdictions.

While no explosives were found, officials said the tightened security arrangements will remain in place as a precaution. Cyber teams continue efforts to trace the IP addresses and identify those behind the threat emails.

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JNU protest turns violent as Left and Right student groups trade charges

A late-night protest at JNU turned violent as Left and ABVP student groups accused each other of stone-throwing and attacks near the East Gate.

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JNU Protest

Tension gripped the campus of Jawaharlal Nehru University in the early hours of Monday after a protest march allegedly spiralled into violence, with rival student groups accusing each other of triggering the unrest.

Students claimed that the incident occurred around 1.30 am when a confrontation broke out during a march called by the Jawaharlal Nehru University Students’ Union. The protest, named “Samta Juloos”, was headed towards the East Gate and was organised to demand the resignation of Vice-Chancellor Santishree Dhulipudi Pandit and the withdrawal of a rustication order.

According to protesters, several students were injured after alleged stone-throwing during the clash. They alleged that the university administration did not intervene during the march and instead permitted members of the Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad to confront demonstrators.

However, the ABVP denied the allegations and countered that Left-affiliated organisations instigated the confrontation and were spreading misinformation about the events.

Left-backed groups, including the All India Students’ Association, claimed that ABVP activists targeted the JNUSU encampment and hurled stones at “unarmed students”, leading to multiple injuries.

Videos shared by students on social media reportedly showed chaotic scenes near the protest site, with members of rival groups engaged in heated exchanges and physical scuffles.

University authorities did not immediately respond to queries regarding the incident. Students said the situation on campus remained tense following the overnight clashes.

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