IEP Chandigarh
In the village of Bhainsrawali, situated in the Faridabad district of Haryana, approximately 45 kilometers away from the National Capital of Delhi, electricity is no longer a subject of discussion during the Chaupal gatherings. Reflecting on the past, inhabitants of this village used to patiently await the arrival of electricity a decade ago, eager to carry out their daily tasks. Upon the advent of electricity, they would excitedly share the news with one another. However, the scenario has undergone a significant transformation over the past nine years.
The “Mhara Gaon Jagmag Gaon” scheme has been successfully implemented in this village, ensuring round-the-clock electricity supply. Chief Minister Sh Manohar Lal’s initiative has brought about a positive change in this village comprising 750 households. According to the village Sarpanch, Aarti Devi, and her husband Vinod Kumar, the village now experiences uninterrupted electricity availability, barring occasional issues like faults. Bhudutt, the former Sarpanch of the same village, acknowledged the government’s efforts in improving the electricity situation. While acknowledging the alleviation of electricity shortages, he also suggested a further increase in electricity supply to the agricultural sector.
This positive transformation in electricity availability is not unique to Bhainsrawali alone. Presently, 24-hour electricity is being provided in 5798 villages across the state of Haryana under the Mhara Gaon Jagmag Gaon Scheme. Chief Minister Sh Manohar Lal inaugurated this scheme on July 1, 2015, starting from the village of Dayalpur in Kurukshetra. The Chief Minister’s vision is clear — electricity should be accessible in every village and hamlet, ensuring that every household is illuminated.
Talking about Haryana, the state faced significant electricity scarcity in 2014-15. However, today, Haryana has achieved self-sufficiency in terms of electricity. According to the Energy Minister Sh Ranjit Singh, significant strides have been made over the past nine years. 67 new substations were established at a cost of Rs 4452 crore, and 2365 kilometers of transmission lines were added. Efforts were made to relocate high-voltage lines passing over residential areas, colonies, ponds, and schools. To address consumer grievances, an online redressal portal was launched, and Rs 150 crore was allocated for relocating 11 KV and 33 KV lines.
Sh Ranjit Singh highlighted that Haryana secured the first rank in the State Energy Efficiency Index 2019, as released in January 2020 by the Bureau of Energy Efficiency of the Central Power Ministry. In the efficiency index of 2020, Haryana ranked third, while in the 2023 energy efficiency index, the state secured the second position.
The forward-thinking approach of Chief Minister Sh Manohar Lal played a pivotal role in making the state self-reliant in electricity. A decade ago, power cuts were a prevalent issue, even in urban areas also. Villagers Ramkumar and Subhash praised the Chief Minister for his effective handling of the electricity situation, noting that power cuts are now a distant memory. Previously, people had to take to the streets due to electricity shortages, but now, it’s uncertain when the electricity goes out, and when it does, it quickly returns.
Aditya and Kamaldeep said that the earlier power cuts created significant challenges for small business owners who were unable to arrange for generators. This situation left them with no alternative but to endure prolonged waiting periods. Various businesses, such as photostate operators, small tool shops, flour mills, and animal feed machinery operators, heavily dependent on a continuous electricity supply, had to wait for several hours for electricity supply. Chief Minister Sh Manohar Lal has successfully put an end to this waiting period.
