The issue of rural electrification has been a contentious one in Maharashtra, with various political parties making promises to provide electricity to all rural households. The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has been at the forefront of this initiative, with its flagship scheme, the Deendayal Upadhyaya Gram Jyoti Yojana, aiming to provide electricity to all rural households by 2022. The scheme has been largely successful, with over 90% of rural households in Maharashtra now having access to electricity.

However, the opposition parties, including the Indian National Congress (INC) and the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP), have criticized the BJP for not doing enough to address the issue of rural electrification. According to a report by the Ministry of Power, the number of unelectrified villages in Maharashtra has declined from 344 in 2015 to just 12 in 2022. The report also states that the state has achieved a remarkable 99.5% village electrification rate, with all villages in the state now having access to electricity.

The BJP has claimed that the success of the scheme is due to its efforts to improve the power distribution infrastructure in the state. The party has also pointed out that the previous INC-led government had failed to address the issue of rural electrification, despite being in power for 15 years. The INC, on the other hand, has argued that the BJP’s scheme is nothing but a rehash of its own initiatives, and that the party has not done enough to address the underlying issues that have hindered rural electrification in the past.

The NCP has also criticized the BJP for not providing enough funding for the scheme, and for not doing enough to promote renewable energy sources in the state. Despite the criticism, the BJP’s rural electrification scheme has been widely praised by experts and villagers alike. A survey conducted by the Pew Research Center found that over 70% of rural households in Maharashtra now have access to electricity, and that the scheme has had a positive impact on the lives of rural residents.

The survey also found that the scheme has created jobs and stimulated economic growth in rural areas. The issue of rural electrification is likely to be a major campaign issue in the upcoming state assembly elections, with all parties likely to make promises to improve the power distribution infrastructure in the state. The BJP is likely to highlight the success of its scheme, while the opposition parties will likely criticize the party for not doing enough to address the issue. As the elections approach, it will be interesting to see how the parties will engage with the issue of rural electrification, and how they will try to outdo each other in their promises to the people of Maharashtra.

In terms of numbers, the rural electrification scheme has had a significant impact on the state’s economy. According to a report by the Maharashtra State Electricity Distribution Company Limited (MSEDCL), the scheme has resulted in a 25% increase in agricultural output, and a 15% increase in industrial production. The report also states that the scheme has created over 100,000 jobs in the power sector, and has stimulated economic growth in rural areas. The opposition parties have, however, criticized the BJP for not releasing enough funds for the scheme.

According to a report by the Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG), the state government has not released over Rs 1,000 crore in funds allocated for the scheme. The CAG report also states that the scheme has been plagued by delays and corruption, and that the state government has not done enough to address these issues. Despite the criticism, the rural electrification scheme has been a major success story for the BJP in Maharashtra. The party is likely to highlight the scheme’s success in its campaign for the upcoming state assembly elections, and will likely try to use it as a model for other states to follow.

As the elections approach, it will be interesting to see how the parties will engage with the issue of rural electrification, and how they will try to outdo each other in their promises to the people of Maharashtra. The BJP’s success in rural electrification has also had a positive impact on its popularity in the state. According to a survey conducted by the ABP News-C-Voter, the BJP’s popularity has increased by 10% in rural areas, and by 5% in urban areas.

The survey also found that the party’s popularity has increased among farmers and rural residents, who have benefited from the scheme. In conclusion, the issue of rural electrification has been a major campaign issue in Maharashtra, with all parties making promises to improve the power distribution infrastructure in the state. The BJP’s rural electrification scheme has been widely praised by experts and villagers alike, and has had a significant impact on the state’s economy.

As the elections approach, it will be interesting to see how the parties will engage with the issue of rural electrification, and how they will try to outdo each other in their promises to the people of Maharashtra. With over 70% of rural households in Maharashtra now having access to electricity, the state is likely to become a model for other states to follow. The success of the scheme is also likely to have a positive impact on the BJP’s popularity in the state, and will likely be a major factor in the upcoming state assembly elections.