Under an ongoing socio-economic development scheme known as ‘Orunodoi,’ Assam would pay the power bills of 20 lakh impoverished households with a monthly ceiling of Rs 250 through direct benefit transfer mode.
Since 2020, the state’s largest-ever DBT scheme has been transferring aid directly into the bank accounts of 20 lakh recipients for the purchase of medicines, fruits and vegetables, pulses, and sugar on the 10th day of each month.
Extra power bill component every month
Each household received Rs 830 in monthly aid at first, which was eventually increased to Rs 1,000. Each beneficiary will now be eligible for Rs 1250 per month as a result of the extra power bill component.
Moreover, in 2022-23, the state government has set aside Rs 2,000 crore to fund this scheme.
Meanwhile, Himanta Biswa Sarma, the chief minister, remarked, “We will deposit Rs 250 every month in the bank accounts of each beneficiary, which they will pay to the power department when they get their electricity bill. This is like free electricity.”
He stated that the government will organise an ‘Orunodoi week’ between August 15 and September 15, during which six lakh additional beneficiaries will be added.
In addition, he said, “From the existing 20 lakh beneficiaries, we will segregate those whose income has improved.”
The system benefits women because they are the major caretakers for their families. Moreover, only households earning less than Rs 2 lakh per annum will be eligible.
Further, widows, divorced or unmarried females, separated females, any differently-abled member, and poorer families, are given priority whether or not they are covered by the NFSA.
These power bill benefits are not available to households with no female members. Former and present MPs, MLAs, members of Panchayati Raj Institutions, and members of urban local bodies, as well as regularly working or retired officers and employees of the central and state governments, are excluded.
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