GUWAHATI: Assam will pay the electricity bills of 20 lakh poor households with a capping of Rs 250 each per month through direct benefit transfer mode under an ongoing socio-economic empowerment scheme called ‘Orunodoi’.
Under this biggest-ever DBT scheme in the state since 2020, the 20 lakh beneficiaries have been getting assistance transferred directly in their bank accounts by the 10th day of every month for buying medicines, fruits and vegetables, pulses and sugar. The initial monthly amount of assistance to each household was Rs 830 which was later enhanced to Rs 1,000. With the additional power bill compnent each beneficiary will now be eligible to get Rs 1250 per month. The state government has allocated Rs 2,000 crore to fund this scheme in 2022-23,
“We will deposit Rs 250 every month in bank accounts of each beneficiary, which they will pay to the power department when they get their electricity bill. This is like free electricity,” chief minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said.
He said between August 15 and September 15, the government will hold ‘Orunodoi week’ during which six lakh new beneficiaries will be added. “From the existing 20 lakh beneficiaries, we will segregate those whose income has improved,” he added.
Women being the primary caretakers of the family are beneficiaries of the scheme. Only households having annual income less than Rs 2 lakh will be eligible. Priority is given to those households which have widows, divorced or unmarried female, separated females, any specially-abled member and to poorer families whether they are covered under NFSA or not.
Households without any female member are not eligible for these benefits. Former and current MPs, MLAs, members of Panchayati Raj Institutions and urban local bodies, regular serving or retired officers and employees of central or state government are excluded.
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