Ministry of Power

Power Minister calls the Budget as historic, people friendly and forward looking

Finance Minister thanks tax payers saying “Your tax pays for the electricity connections to the poor”

Consumers saving ₹ 50,000 crore per year in electricity bills with LED bulbs

Posted On: 01 FEB 2019 5:24PM by PIB Delhi

“Interim Budget 2019-20 is historic, it’s people friendly and forward looking. It provides assistance to all sectors which need assistance at the same time maintaining fiscal prudence”, said Shri RK Singh, Union Minister of State (IC) for Power and New & Renewable Energy here today. He expressed hope that the Budget would be able to bring smile to every face.

India’s electrification success found a special mention in Finance Minster’s Budget speech. He said, “Till the year 2014, about 2.5 crore families were forced to live the life of 18th centuary without electricity. Under 'Saubhagya Yojna', we provided free electricity connection to almost every household. By March, 2019, all willing families will get electricity connection.”

He also thanked the taxpayers saying, “Your tax pays for the electricity connections to the poor who lived in darkness for generations”.

Commenting on UJALA scheme, the Finance Minister said that 143 crore LED bulbs have been sold with the combined efforts of the Government and private sector and this has resulted into a savings of approximately ₹ 50,000 crore per year in electricity bills of poor and middle class families.

He also stressed upon Electric Vehicles and Renewables to make India a pollution free nation. Citing the International Solar Alliance as example for India’s commitment towards clean energy, the Finance Minister said that, “India’s installed solar generation capacity has grown over ten times in last five years. This sector is now creating lakhs of new age jobs.”

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RCS/MS

Electrification expanded through tax funded connections to extend access, paired with efficiency and clean energy promotion. The Budget prioritizes nationwide household electrification by providing free electricity connections to willing families financed through general taxation, complemented by a large-scale LED distribution initiative credited with significant household bill savings and policy support for electric vehicles and expanded renewable generation to reduce pollution and create jobs.