Patna: Bihar would apprise the Centre about its needs under the Saubhagya Scheme, that entails providing power to all households by 2018-end, within a week. A senior official of the Bihar State Power Holding Company Limited shared this information with The Telegraph on Friday.

The Rs 16320-crore Saubhagya scheme was launched in September and the Centre has sought details about number of households that are still bereft of power connection.

"Based on preliminary information, the Centre would release 20 per cent of the total cost to states so that work on the scheme can get underway right away," a senior official of the rural electrification corporation - nodal agency for implementing the scheme - said. October 11 has been fixed as the cut-off date; states have to give information about number of households that need electrification after October 11.

According to the scheme's norms, a sum of Rs 3,000 has to be spent on providing connection to one household and in case an electrical pole too is to be provided, the cost rises to Rs 4,500. The Centre would bear 60 per cent of the cost and the state concerned the rest. The Centre would bear an additional 15 per cent of the cost if the state concerned completes work within the deadline.

"December 2018 is the deadline for the goal and Bihar is likely to meet it as it was implementing a similar scheme of which December 2018 was the deadline," the REC official said. Saubhagya scheme stipulates that families opting for connection under it would have to pay Rs 500 in 10 instalments along with energy bill.

A BSPHCL official said around 35 lakh households need power connection in Bihar and under their Har Ghar Bijli scheme, around 50,000 households have already been provided it. "We are working out details after which we will send out a preliminary report to the Centre."

The report will be sent within a week. "In all likelihood we will ask for funds to provide power connection to over 34 lakh households under the scheme," the official said.

He pointed out that for now only preliminary report would be sent and later a detailed project report.