Under the Pradhan Mantri Sahaj Bijli Har Ghar Yojana (Saubhagya) launched in September 2017, by which target date were electricity connections to rural and urban households to be provided?

Introduction / Context:
This question again focuses on the Saubhagya scheme, but now from the perspective of its implementation timeline. Government schemes often specify a clear completion date or target year, and examination questions commonly ask about these deadlines. Knowing the scheduled completion date helps in understanding how ambitious the programme is and whether it aligns with broader goals such as universal access to electricity.

Given Data / Assumptions:

• The scheme is Pradhan Mantri Sahaj Bijli Har Ghar Yojana, also called Saubhagya.
• It aims to provide electricity connections in both rural and some urban areas.
• The launch was in September 2017.
• The question asks for the target date for providing these connections.
• Options list several months and years around 2018 and 2019.

Concept / Approach:
The official announcement of Saubhagya set the target of providing electricity connections to all willing households by December 2018, with some allowances for difficult terrain and remote areas that might extend into 2019. The primary deadline often quoted in exams is December 2018. The correct approach is to remember that the scheme was ambitious, with a roughly fifteen month main implementation window from launch to the end of 2018.

Step-by-Step Solution:
Step 1: Recall that Saubhagya was launched in September 2017 to speed up household electrification. Step 2: Remember that the government announced an aggressive target to complete most connections by the end of 2018. Step 3: Examine the options March 2019, December 2018, March 2018, October 2018, and June 2019. Step 4: Identify December 2018 as the date that matches the core target deadline for household electrification. Step 5: Select December 2018 as the correct answer.

Verification / Alternative check:
Official press releases and the scheme guidelines for Saubhagya mention that the objective was to provide electricity connections to all willing households by December 2018. Later reviews sometimes discuss further work in left out villages or difficult regions, but the main exam oriented target remains the end of 2018. Economic survey summaries and government presentations repeated this deadline as a key talking point. Since no other option matches this widely cited timeline, the cross check confirms December 2018 as correct.

Why Other Options Are Wrong:
March 2019: While some leftover work may have continued beyond 2018, this was not the primary official target date announced at launch.
March 2018: This date is too early to be realistic for a large national electrification programme announced only in late 2017.
October 2018: This represents an intermediate month and is not the formal deadline most often quoted.
June 2019: This extends far beyond the main deadline given in official documents and is not the standard answer tested in examinations.

Common Pitfalls:
Learners sometimes confuse different deadlines across multiple schemes such as rural electrification of villages, household connectivity, and other power sector programmes. Another pitfall is to guess that the target must be at least two years away from launch and therefore choose a 2019 date. Some candidates also choose March 2019 because many government financial targets align with the end of a financial year. To avoid confusion, it is essential to remember that Saubhagya had a bold timeline that aimed for December 2018 completion.

Final Answer:
Under Saubhagya, the target date for providing electricity connections to households was December 2018.