Lucknow, August 12: In the villages of Uttar Pradesh, electricity bills are no longer just a household expense but have become a source of income for thousands of women. Around 16,000 Vidyut Sakhis associated with self-help groups have facilitated the payment of 1,53,62,709 electricity bills so far, helping collect nearly Rs 3,500 crore in revenue. In return, these women have earned Rs 45.4 crore through commissions.
The Yogi Government's model is creating employment opportunities for rural women within their own villages while also ensuring that consumers no longer have to travel long distances to pay their electricity bills.
The Vidyut Sakhi programme, being implemented through a collaboration between the Uttar Pradesh State Rural Livelihood Mission (UPSRLM) and Uttar Pradesh Power Corporation Limited (UPPCL), has successfully combined employment generation with public service delivery in rural areas. Women associated with self-help groups are being entrusted with electricity bill collection, providing them with a regular source of income.
So far, 31,681 women have been identified as Vidyut Sakhis across the state. Of these, more than 16,000 have recharged their e-wallets and are actively engaged in electricity bill collection.
The scale of the programme can be gauged from the fact that more than 1.53 crore electricity bills have been collected through Vidyut Sakhis across Uttar Pradesh over the past five years. These collections have generated nearly Rs 3,500 crore in revenue for the power department.
This village-level network of women has emerged as a strong channel for revenue collection in rural areas.
The system has also delivered direct economic benefits to the women involved. Through commissions earned on bill collections, Vidyut Sakhis have collectively earned Rs 45.4 crore so far. The programme has opened new avenues of self-employment for women associated with self-help groups by providing them with an income source within their own communities.
One of the key features of the Vidyut Sakhi programme is that women do not have to migrate to cities or travel far from home in search of work. They are earning income by collecting electricity bill payments from consumers in their villages and nearby areas.
This enables women to balance household responsibilities while actively participating in economic activities. Women associated with self-help groups are first provided training and then integrated into the electricity bill collection system.
Using the electricity department's e-wallet platform, they collect bill payments from consumers. Once the payment is processed, the consumer receives confirmation. This has created a convenient and accessible electricity bill payment system within villages themselves.
According to Arun Kumar, Mission Director of the Uttar Pradesh State Rural Livelihood Mission, the programme has delivered significant benefits in rural areas.
Earlier, consumers in many villages had to travel considerable distances to electricity department counters or payment centres to deposit their bills. Now, Vidyut Sakhis are providing this service within villages and nearby locations.
This has improved convenience for rural consumers while also creating a steady stream of work for Vidyut Sakhis.
The earnings of Vidyut Sakhis are based on commissions received for bill collection. For electricity bills of up to Rs 2,000, a Vidyut Sakhi earns a commission of Rs 20 in rural areas and Rs 12 in urban areas.
The total commission income of Rs 45.4 crore demonstrates that electricity bill collection has become a sustainable source of self-employment for thousands of rural women. The initiative is not only connecting self-help group women with economic opportunities but is also expanding the adoption of digital payments and improving electricity bill collection systems in villages.
A key strength of the Vidyut Sakhi model is that it generates benefits at three levels. Women gain employment opportunities within their villages, consumers receive convenient bill payment services close to home, and the power department gains an additional channel for revenue collection in rural areas.
Through the Uttar Pradesh State Rural Livelihood Mission, women associated with self-help groups are being connected to various livelihood opportunities. The Vidyut Sakhi programme has emerged as a successful model that links public service delivery with women's livelihoods.
Vidyut Sakhis are no longer merely bill collection agents; they are becoming an important local link between rural consumers and the power department.
The availability of bill payment services within villages has made timely bill payments easier for consumers while creating income opportunities for women within their own communities.
More than 31,000 women have been identified as Vidyut Sakhis across Uttar Pradesh, and over 16,000 of them are actively engaged in the programme.
