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The Chhattisgarh government has launched 'Bijli Sakhi Yojana' to empower women economically in the tribal-dominated Jashpur district and support the electricity department in completing the task of meter reading in remote villages.
The pilot project, introduced by Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Vishnu Deo Sai, aims to make 21 women from a self-help group 'Lakhpati Didi.' Under this scheme, the women will take on the responsibility of meter reading in villages that the electricity department has been unable to access. According to an official, the involvement of 'Bijli Sakhi' has made the work of the electricity department easier and simultaneously ensured these women an opportunity to become economically empowered, adding that under this scheme, women managed to earn Rs 4000-6000 per month. The scheme has opened an avenue for 'Bijli Sakhi' to become 'Lakhpati Didis.' Women of self-help groups are working very extensively to become 'Lakhpati Didis' as per the vision of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, he added. Shedding more details about the scheme, the official informed that in October this year, the electricity department identified village panchayats where meter readings did not take place, and the number was zero. Taking a cue from the situation, the officials of the Power Distribution Company and the district administration selected 21 women associated with self-help groups who were literate and active and trained them to read meters. Thereafter, the women were named 'Bijli Sakhis,' and the scheme was launched as a pilot project in the Bagicha development block of Jashpur district by Chief Minister Vishnu Deo Sai. Speaking to ANI, Nodal Officer of the scheme Tarun Singh said that as per the collector's instructions, the 'Bijli Sakhi' scheme has been implemented in 21 gram panchayats. For each meter reading, the electricity department pays Rs 12 to 'Bijli Sakhi.' Through this scheme, the women are earning Rs 4000-6000 every month. Bijli Sakhis was informed that women are associated with some self-help groups, and by reading meters 5-7 days a month, they are making an additional income of Rs 4000-6000 monthly. The scheme is helping each woman to make an additional income of Rs 50,000-60,000 annually, taking their income per year to more than Rs 1 lakh. Women associated with the scheme expressed gratitude towards PM Modi, CM Sai, and the district collector for economically empowering them. (ANI)
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