Some far-flung villages in Jammu and Kashmir’s Shopian area were finally provided with electricity for the first time. Various villages of Dunnadi in Sopian’s Keller Tehsil were without electricity even after 70 years of India’s Independence.
These villages in the Keller Tehsil are remote and difficult to access. The areas are within steep hills and forests, making electrification a challenging task.
Villages in Kellar area of Shopian district in South Kashmir receive electricity connection after 70 years! pic.twitter.com/6lWtQgcybf
— CNBC-TV18 (@CNBCTV18News) July 17, 2020
Villages in Sopian get electricity under Pradhan Mantri Sahaj Bijli Har Ghar (Saubhagya) Yojana
The electricity to these villages has been provided under the central government scheme, Pradhan Mantri Sahaj Bijli Har Ghar Yojana which was launched by the Prime Minister in 2017.
The Saubhagya Scheme or Pradhan Mantri Sahaj Bijli Har Ghar Yojana is a Modi government initiative through which the central government aims to ensure electrification of all willing households in the country in rural as well as urban areas.
According to reports, five transformers have been installed in the area and were commissioned within seven days ot bring electricity to these villages.
“We had never seen electricity in our life. We feel good that this remote area finally received the electricity,” an elated local Muhammad Aslam told a local news channel. Another resident Muhammad Awan, an elderly person said these villages were without electricity since he was born. “We are happy now. Our homes have been lit up,” he said.
Since there was no electricity in these villages until now, the humble villagers were having to make do with candles and oil lamps, but things will now be different for these villagers.
Farooq Ahmed, Asst Executive Engineer in the Power Development Board, has stated that the villages are in high-altitude areas and the households were unelectrified through all these decades. Under the Soubhagya Scheme, the households were identified and steps were taken to electrify the hilly area.
