Performance Audit on Deen Dayal Upadhyaya Gram Jyoti Yojana / Pradhan Mantri Sahaj Bijli Har Ghar Yojana (SAUBHAGYA)

Findings

1. 10 per centHousehold threshold for a village to count as electrified

   A village was counted as electrified once 10 per cent of its households had electricity, so "all villages electrified" did not mean all homes had power.

   “Village electrification, however, did not result in electrification of all the households, as the village was considered electrified even with electrification of 10 per cent households as per the then adopted definition.”§1.4 (SAUBHAGYA) · p. 4

2. 4.04 crore (22.52%)Rural households without electricity, October 2017

   On the states' own data, 4.04 crore rural households — 22.52 per cent — were still without electricity in October 2017, six months before the all-villages announcement.

   “As per the data provided by the States as on 10 October 2017, 13.90 crore out of 17.94 crore rural households, were electrified and the remaining 4.04 crore households (22.52 per cent) were un-electrified.”§1.4 (SAUBHAGYA) · p. 4

3. 1,092 partial + 2,722 public places pendingVillages short of the definition at closure, March 2022

   Even by the official definition, the record was incomplete at scheme closure in March 2022 — 1,092 villages in Jammu and Kashmir (including Ladakh) were partially electrified, and public places in 2,722 villages of Rajasthan and Tripura were yet to be electrified.

   “Audit noticed that till closure of the scheme (March 2022), 1,092 villages in Jammu and Kashmir (including Ladakh) were partially electrified and public places in 2,722 villages of Rajasthan and Tripura were yet to be electrified.”§3.4 (Electrification of villages) · p. 33

4. 27 per centBeneficiaries reporting under 12 hours of supply, 11 states

   In the audit's own beneficiary survey, 27 per cent of respondents in 11 states reported less than 12 hours of power supply a day.

   “During survey, Audit noticed that position of power supply in rural areas for nonagricultural consumers was less than 12 hours as reported by 27 per cent beneficiaries in 11 States.”Ch. 3 (Implementation of DDUGJY) · p. 19

5. The Ministry of Power could not give the audit its data on households unwilling to take a connection, because it had not maintained any.

   “MoP further stated that they are unable to provide the data of unwilling households to get electricity connection under the Scheme to Audit as they had not maintained it.”§6.1 (Electrification under SAUBHAGYA) · p. 57

Fact-checks citing this report

• ◑Lacks contextEnsuring a basic level of Infrastructure to all — Home, Electricity, Water, Toilets and Access… We will transform the quality of life of women in Rural India by providing electricity, tapped water, cleaner fuel and toilets in every home.
• ◐Partly accurateWe had made a commitment to provide 24x7 electricity to all and the country has substantially attained the goal… almost all remaining households have been provided with an electricity connection… India can now claim that quantum of or access to electricity is no longer an issue.
• ◑Lacks context100 per cent village electrification achieved — all 18,452 remaining un-electrified villages stood electrified as on 28 April 2018.