India News

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

Published

9 years ago

September 26, 2017

[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

(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]

India News

Veeramani POCSO case: Vijay questions Stalin over earlier probe

Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Vijay has questioned MK Stalin over the handling of the Veeramani POCSO case, while Stalin has rejected allegations that the previous DMK government protected anyone.

Published

9 mins ago

September 25, 2026

APNLive Desk

Tamil Nadu Chief Minister and Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) president C Joseph Vijay has questioned DMK president MK Stalin over the handling of the POCSO case involving Gem Granites founder R Veeramani. The political exchange follows renewed investigation into allegations involving minor girls.

Vijay’s remarks came as the ruling TVK stepped up its questions about how the case was handled during the previous DMK government. The party’s IT wing has alleged that the earlier investigation was weakened and questioned why a final report was filed.

The allegations have been rejected by the DMK. Stalin has said that no order was issued by the DMK government to protect anyone in the case and has called the allegations false and defamatory.

What did Vijay say about the Veeramani case?

Vijay questioned Stalin over the handling of the case and demanded an explanation from the former chief minister.

The TVK has specifically questioned why action was not taken against Veeramani during the previous administration and why the earlier investigation resulted in a closure report.

The party has also raised questions about the role of officials involved in the earlier investigation. These are political allegations made by the TVK and have not been established as facts.

What is the Veeramani POCSO case?

The case concerns allegations of sexual abuse of minors involving R Veeramani, the founder of Gem Granites.

The case came under renewed scrutiny after a special POCSO court rejected an earlier closure report and ordered further investigation. The expanded probe has subsequently identified additional alleged survivors who were minors at the time of the alleged offences, according to current reporting.

The investigation is also examining the circumstances surrounding the earlier probe and whether there were any lapses in how the case was handled.

What has MK Stalin said?

Stalin has rejected allegations that the previous DMK government protected Veeramani.

He has said that no order was issued by the DMK government to shield anyone in the case. Stalin has also said that everyone responsible for the alleged offences, including anyone who aided or attempted to protect the accused, should face the law.

The DMK president has further said that the focus should remain on securing justice for the affected girls rather than making political allegations.

Why has the case become a political issue?

The Veeramani case has become the subject of a political dispute between the ruling TVK and the DMK over the handling of the earlier investigation.

The TVK is questioning the previous government’s handling of the case, while the DMK has denied that it intervened to protect the accused.

At this stage, claims about political interference or deliberate weakening of the earlier investigation should be treated as allegations unless established by the ongoing investigation or judicial proceedings.

India News

Women wrestlers challenge Brij Bhushan’s acquittal in sexual harassment case

Four women wrestlers have challenged the acquittal of former WFI chief Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh and co-accused Vinod Tomar in a sexual harassment case.

Published

46 mins ago

September 25, 2026

APNLive Desk

Four women wrestlers have approached a Delhi court challenging the acquittal of former Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) chief and BJP leader Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh in a sexual harassment case.

The wrestlers have also challenged the acquittal of co-accused Vinod Tomar. The matter is scheduled to be heard by a Special Judge at the Rouse Avenue Courts.

The appeal challenges the order passed by an Additional Chief Judicial Magistrate on August 3, 2026, when Brij Bhushan and Tomar were acquitted in the case.

Wrestlers challenge court’s reasoning

In their appeal, the wrestlers have argued that the acquittal order is legally unsustainable and that the evidence was not assessed appropriately.

They have also alleged that the order relied on assumptions about how victims of sexual assault and harassment were expected to behave instead of assessing the evidence and circumstances of the complainants.

The challenge seeks judicial scrutiny of the findings that resulted in the acquittal of Brij Bhushan and Tomar.

Brij Bhushan was acquitted in August

The Rouse Avenue court acquitted Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh on August 3 in the sexual harassment case involving women wrestlers. The court’s decision followed consideration of the evidence and statements presented during the proceedings.

The case had emerged after several women wrestlers accused the former WFI chief of sexual harassment. The allegations had led to a major protest by wrestlers in 2023.

The latest appeal means the acquittal is now being challenged before a higher court.

India News

Congress protests against Gyanesh Kumar, demands Election chief’s resignation

Congress workers took to the streets against Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar, with protests and demonstrations held over the party’s allegations concerning the Election Commission.

Published

2 hours ago

September 25, 2026

APNLive Desk

Congress stepped up its campaign against Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar, with party workers taking to the streets and demanding his resignation amid the ongoing row over the Election Commission.

The protests followed repeated criticism by Congress leaders of the poll panel and its functioning. The party has alleged irregularities in the electoral process and has sought accountability from the Election Commission.

Congress leaders have also targeted Gyanesh Kumar personally, with Rahul Gandhi among those calling for the Chief Election Commissioner to step down.

Congress takes protest to streets

Congress workers staged demonstrations in different places as part of the party’s campaign against the Election Commission.

The protests featured sharp symbolism, including masks and handcuffs, as Congress sought to highlight its allegations against the poll panel and demand action against Gyanesh Kumar.

The demonstrations are part of a wider confrontation between the Congress and the Election Commission over issues related to electoral rolls and the conduct of elections.

Congress demands Gyanesh Kumar’s resignation

The Congress has repeatedly demanded the resignation of Gyanesh Kumar, accusing the Election Commission of failing to adequately address the concerns raised by the opposition party.

Rahul Gandhi has also stepped up his criticism of the poll panel. In a statement on Thursday, he demanded that Gyanesh Kumar resign and alleged that the Election Commission had acknowledged the issue of “vote theft”. These are allegations made by the Congress and should not be treated as an established finding unless confirmed by the relevant authority.

The dispute comes amid a broader political debate over electoral rolls, voter verification and the functioning of the Election Commission.

Election Commission under opposition scrutiny

The Congress has intensified its campaign against the poll body in recent weeks, with party leaders repeatedly questioning its decisions and procedures.

The Election Commission, meanwhile, has maintained that India’s electoral process is conducted according to the Constitution, electoral laws and prescribed procedures. Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar has previously defended the integrity of the electoral system and rejected claims that electronic voting machines can be remotely hacked.

The latest protests add to the continuing political confrontation over the Election Commission and the opposition’s demands concerning the poll panel’s functioning.