The Jharkhand government, under Chief Minister Hemant Soren, is promoting its ‘Ped Lagao, Free Bijli Pao’ scheme to encourage urban residents to plant and protect trees by offering a subsidy on their electricity bills. The initiative links environmental conservation with household benefits, aiming to increase green cover in urban areas and encourage greater public participation in tree plantation.
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Hemant Soren Government’s ‘Plant Trees, Get Free Electricity’ Scheme
Under the scheme, eligible beneficiaries can receive five units of free electricity per month for every qualifying tree planted on their residential premises. Residents can receive benefits for a maximum of five trees, taking the total subsidy to 25 units of electricity per month. The initiative is intended to encourage people to plant and nurture trees rather than limiting environmental efforts to public plantation drives.
Scheme Offers Up to 25 Units of Monthly Power Subsidy
The scheme is applicable to residents of urban areas, particularly those planting trees within their private residential premises. According to the eligibility details, the circumference of a tree must be at least 20 centimetres. The initiative focuses on proper trees, including fruit-bearing and large shade-giving varieties, rather than ornamental flowering plants.
The implementation process involves coordination between urban local bodies, the Forest Department and the electricity department. The local bodies are responsible for assessing the planted trees, while the Forest Department monitors and verifies the eligible trees before the beneficiary list is forwarded to the electricity department.
The initiative was originally announced by Hemant Soren during the 73rd Van Mahotsav celebrations in July 2022. The government subsequently approved its implementation for the 2023-24 financial year. Soren had emphasised that the incentive would be linked to planting and protecting trees, with the objective of improving the green cover in increasingly urbanised areas.
The scheme seeks to make environmental protection a community-driven effort by giving households a direct incentive to maintain greenery. By connecting tree conservation with electricity bill relief, the Jharkhand government aims to encourage sustainable urban living and greater awareness about the importance of trees.
