JK governor Malik flags off 'Saubhagya Raths' to achieve 100 pct electrification across 20 dists

Jammu and Kashmir Governor Satya Pal Malik Wednesday flagged off 'Saubhagya Raths' for 20 districts here to identify households without electricity.

Officials onboard these 'Saubhagya Raths' will survey areas in their respective jurisdiction with an aim to achieve 100 per cent electrification of households.

Under the Pradhan Mantri Sahaj Bijli Har Ghar Yojana, 'Saubhagya Raths' will traverse each district for one month till November 30, 2018.

Advisors to the governor B B Vyas, K Vijay Kumar and Khurshid Ahmad Ganai, Chief Secretary BVR Subrahmanyam, Commissioner Secretary PDD Hirdesh Kumar and Divisional Commissioner (Jammu) Sanjeev Verma were present on the occasion.

Development Commissioner Power (DCP) Ajay Gupta said the scheme, launched by the prime minister a year ago, has made headway towards achieving its main objective that is to provide 100 per cent electrification to all households across the country, in rural as well as urban areas.

Under the scheme, free electricity connections are provided to poor households enlisted under Socio-Economic Caste Census (SECC), 2011.

The DCP informed that out of 3,57,405 unelectrified households identified in the survey carried out by the Power Development Department, a total of 2,26,367 households were already proposed.

(With inputs from agencies.)