Under which government programme are electric connections provided specifically to households below the poverty line?

Introduction / Context:
Rural electrification has been a major focus of Indian development policy. Several schemes have aimed at extending electricity connections to poor households, especially those below the poverty line. This question asks which of the listed programmes was designed to provide electric connections specifically to families living below the poverty line, so it tests knowledge of the objectives of different government schemes.

Given Data / Assumptions:

• Options include MPLADS, Kutir Jyoti, Ganga Kalyan Yojana and Sangam Yojana.
• The question emphasises providing electric connections to people below the poverty line.
• We assume standard descriptions of these schemes as found in government documents and exam guides.
• Kutir Jyoti is known as a programme focused on providing electricity to rural poor households.
• Other schemes listed have different primary aims.

Concept / Approach:
Kutir Jyoti Yojana was launched to provide a single point electric connection to below poverty line households, particularly in rural areas. The idea was to supply basic lighting to poor families and thereby improve quality of life and support education and small economic activities. MPLADS refers to Member of Parliament Local Area Development Scheme, which fund various local works but is not a specific electrification programme. Ganga Kalyan Yojana and Sangam Yojana relate to other welfare or irrigation initiatives. Therefore the correct approach is to match the objective of giving electricity connections to poor households with the Kutir Jyoti scheme.

Step-by-Step Solution:
Step 1: Read the question carefully and note that it asks about electric connections for below poverty line households. Step 2: Recall that Kutir Jyoti Yojana was introduced with the explicit aim of providing a single point electricity connection to rural poor families. Step 3: Consider MPLADS, which is a fund for local area development chosen by Members of Parliament, not a targeted household electrification scheme. Step 4: Recognise that Ganga Kalyan Yojana and Sangam Yojana are associated with other welfare or irrigation related objectives and not directly with household electric connections. Step 5: Conclude that Kutir Jyoti is the correct answer.

Verification / Alternative check:
A quick verification can be done by recalling the meaning of the scheme names. Kutir Jyoti combines the words for cottage and light, symbolising electricity reaching simple rural homes. This image directly aligns with electrifying poor households. MPLADS refers to area development works chosen by elected representatives, while Ganga Kalyan Yojana relates to irrigation and water for farmers. No other scheme among the options carries such a clear reference to lighting or household electricity, which confirms Kutir Jyoti as the appropriate choice.

Why Other Options Are Wrong:
MPLADS: This scheme funds many types of local development projects but is not specifically designed to give electric connections to below poverty line families. Ganga Kalyan Yojana: It focuses on irrigation and water conservation for agriculture, not on electrification of poor households. Sangam Yojana: This name is associated with other welfare or development programmes and not with the specific objective mentioned in the question. Any blank option: Not relevant because the question clearly refers to a named programme.

Common Pitfalls:
Some candidates confuse various rural schemes because many names sound similar and all relate to development of poor or rural communities. Another pitfall is to assume that MPLADS can fund any kind of local infrastructure and therefore must also include household electrification as a main feature, which is not accurate. To avoid errors, aspirants should memorise a few key schemes with their primary objectives, such as Kutir Jyoti for electric connections, Indira Awas Yojana for rural housing and similar flagship programmes.

Final Answer:
The programme launched to provide electric connections to people below the poverty line is Kutir Jyoti.