Global water institute hails Jyotigram scheme

The report mentions achievements of the Jyotigram Yojana launched by the Narendra Modi government in September 2003 while warning about water scarcity and its impact on food production and for the estimated global population of 9 billion by 2050.

Recalling the power-deficit situation before the Jyotigram Yojana was launched,the report notes the situation has now changed across rural Gujarat.

“Under the programme,rural Gujarat has been completely rewired. Villages are given 24-hour,three-phase power supply for domestic uses,in schools,hospitals,and village industries,all at metered rates,” the report says.

It adds,“The Jyotigram scheme has now radically improved the quality of village life,spurred non-farm economic enterprises,and halved the power subsidy in agriculture. The solution may not be perfect,but it has proved to be implementable and it has brought substantial improvement in and outside the water sector”.

Rather than viewing subsidies as a default component,the Jyotigram Scheme focuses on providing rationally managed subsidies where needed,and pricing where possible,the report says,and notes that farmers operating tube-wells continue to receive free electricity,but for 8 hours,rather than 24 hours and,“importantly for the satisfaction of farmers,on a pre-announced schedule designed to meet their peak demands”.

“The separation of agricultural energy from other uses and the promise of quality supply were sufficient to gain political and social backing for implementation”,the report says.