Over 10,500 ‘Bijli Sakhis’ are currently employed in Uttar Pradesh

Lucknow : In the remote backwaters of Silauta village, nestled within Barabanki’s Ramnagar Development Block, Rajshree Shukla is making a difference to the rural life, including her own. As a ‘Bijli Sakhi’ or ‘Vidyut Sakhi,’ she offers an essential service to her community by collecting electricity bills door-to-door.

While on the one hand this role relieves her villagers of the burden of standing in long queues to pay their bills and ensures timely collections, on the other, Rajshree earns a monthly commission of over Rs 50,000, supporting her family and empowering herself as a rural entrepreneur.

Rajshree is part of a larger network of empowered women who are members of a self-help group (SHG). She plays the vital role of a ‘Bijli Sakhi’ as part of an innovative initiative launched by Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath.

Modeled after the successful ‘Banking Sakhi’ concept, this initiative is designed to generate employment opportunities for rural women. In her role as a ‘Bijli Sakhi,’ Rajshree earns a commission for each electricity bill payment she successfully collects.

Reflecting on her journey, Rajshree says, “In 2020, we began collecting electricity bill payments through the Radha Self-Help Group, supported by a Rs 30,000 grant from the bank under SRLM schemes. We organized awareness camps to educate people about our services and government initiatives. This work has earned me the respect of my community, and I often receive calls from women seeking my help with their bills. These efforts have greatly improved my family’s financial situation. In July 2024, I earned a commission of Rs 81,900, ranking among the top ten performers in the state.”

Mission Director Deepa Ranjan stated, “The Uttar Pradesh government’s innovative initiative to engage women from self-help groups in meter reading and electricity bill collection, under the State Rural Livelihood Mission, has been transformative for rural women. These ‘Bijli Sakhis,’ members of women’s self-help groups, have collected over Rs 1120 crore in power bills and earned a commendable commission of Rs 14.6 crore.”

Under the instructions of Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, the Uttar Pradesh Power Corporation Limited (UPPCL) signed an agreement with the National Rural Livelihood Mission to allow Self-Help Groups (SHGs) to collect bill payments from the citizens from their residences in all districts of UP.

On February 1, 2020, the first Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was signed with the intention of launching this as a pilot programme in 8 districts of Uttar Pradesh. Subsequently, following the exceptional success of the pilot project, the government decided to roll it out in all the 826 blocks of the 75 districts of Uttar Pradesh for which another Memorandum of Understanding was signed on August 21, 2021.

In line with the Yogi government’s thrust on digitisation and technological growth, the Uttar Pradesh State Rural Livelihood Mission (UPSRLM) decided to educate rural women about it. On November 17, 2021, UPSRLM also inked a third Memorandum of Understanding with ICICI Bank and Avenues to boost the effectiveness of the effort as mentioned earlier.

Mission Director Deepa Ranjan further highlighted, “To date, more than 30,000 Bijli Sakhis have been selected, with over 10,500 already actively working throughout the state. In rural areas, ‘Bijli Sakhis’ earn a commission of Rs. 20 for each bill of up to Rs. 2,000 and 1% for bill collections exceeding Rs. 2,000. In urban areas, they receive a commission of Rs. 12 for each bill up to Rs. 3,000, with a 0.4% commission on bills above Rs. 3,000. This initiative has not only empowered women, but also fostered positive change in rural communities throughout Uttar Pradesh.”