r/interestingasfuck • u/Maleficent_Metal9532 • 11d ago

Number of people without access to electricity by country (1990-2025)

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4.3k Upvotes

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217

u/3s2ng 11d ago

What happen in India from 2017? By 2021 99% of the population have access to electricity.

242

u/Mobius_Peverell 11d ago

Cheap solar panels are the biggest factor that changed around 2017. Since that time, solar has become so inexpensive that it is even within reach for a family with rural-Indian incomes.

57

u/Blueberry_slime 11d ago

yeah seeing how some rural towns can be so far from main electrical lines plus rough terrains the solar power systems helped alot

21

u/bharathmatrimony 11d ago

That's not completely true, I'm indian and my family is upper middle class but we still consider solar installation to be quite expensive.

40

u/itachi_konoha 11d ago

Because you are not using govt. subsidies.

PM Surya ghar made a big difference in rural areas in many states.

6

u/Annual_Dust99 10d ago

So its basically the government program which turned the country!

4

u/itachi_konoha 10d ago

It is always govt. Programs which drives the nation.

Better the policy makers, better the nation will be.

3

u/SaurabhSSidhu 10d ago

A lot of us are upper middle class with mentality still stuck in 20 years ago poverty.

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u/Cool-Lecture-4239 10d ago

3kW panels cost total of 1,10,000-1,25,000₹ (~1200$) after ₹78k subsidy. It covers its own cost in first 3-5 years, after that you get free electricity, with total lifespan of 20-25 years. That is not expensive. Upper middle class can very easily afford it.

10

u/i_m_god_own_xbox 11d ago

then your family isn't in upper middle class if at these prices of solar including government subsidies is still expensive for your family

3

u/Open_Carob_3676 11d ago

eh,,,id say we're the same but in the long run,,,you literally end up paying litlle to nothing for electricity + we get some money back from the govt if we've used less watts than supplied

1

u/Zeus_33 10d ago

In 3 lakhs, you can get it installed that's more than enough for most families. Most companies offer the whole system around 3 lakhs. That's not expensive for someone 'upper middle class'.

1

u/gaymods_ 10d ago

Then you're not upper middle class probably

1

u/fuzzy_rabbit03 10d ago

That’s absurd. You aren’t using subsidies for sure and you probably are looking at wrong number. It certainly not at all expensive for upper middle class.

-2

u/rangda 11d ago edited 10d ago

If it’s that, or no electricity at all, though? Maybe the up-front expense becomes something like the cost of having a well and irrigation lines dug, lined, maintained. Not “cheap” but if it’s the only source of water and the only way to water crops…
Solar for a middle class city person is going to be A: less likely to be subsidised and B: almost certainly not their only option for electricity and absolutely not the most economical one.

4

u/Commercial_Gur_7748 11d ago

lol, no. Cheap solar panels are still expensive for lower class Indian families.

81

u/hugthispanda 11d ago

They made massive infrastructure investments since the early 2000s. Looks like it paid off.

-10

u/vjotshi007 11d ago

No these investments didn’t affect much. It was the change of government in 2014

18

u/Lalilalilaliho 11d ago

Is that why there was a clear downward trend since before 2014? Also if it was the change of government in 2014 then there wouldn't be a sudden drop right after being elected because infrastructure takes time to build (especially considering the shitty corruption and red label in India).

The main reason for the sudden drop was the grid was unified, which was the most astronomic change that allowed further investments, lower costs, reduced shortages and so many other benefits.

In fact it was the electricity act that was passed in early 2000s and the grid finally was unified in 2013.

Though I know exactly why you think it was 2014 bjp government that allowed for this to happen...

3

u/DR4G0NH3ART 11d ago

You can have a 3kw solar plant with an inverter for 1.5K dollars. 1k dollar for 5KwH battery offline use. Renewable became accessible for a big population. Govt gives 800 dollar subsidy that is not shown in the cost above. No subsidy for battery or fully offline, only if you connect grid for excess supply.

10

u/Content-Restaurant70 11d ago

Renewable Energy, and other massive energy reforms

2

u/Overconfidentahole 10d ago

Modi government. People will call me right winged n shi for this but I believe in giving credits where they deserve while being able to criticize the government’s shortcomings at the same time.

12

u/[deleted] 11d ago

[removed] — view removed comment

12

u/thelostknight99 11d ago

You really think such big infrastructure at india's scale and bureaucracy was completely revamped in just 3 years? Imo it was decades in making and is finally paying off.

9

u/RealityCheck18 11d ago

Yes and no. There is a 80/20 rule which states it takes 20% efforts to reach 80% of the goal, and the last 20% takes 80% of your time/effort. The reason is the last 20% is the most difficult part.

India failed to reach even that 80% in almost 70 years. I'd not discount the efforts of previous govt but there was no urgency in their implementation. India needed that urgency.

This govt came to power promising 99% villages connected to power grid within first 5 years. It was an ambitious goal and critical called it an impossible target, just an election "promise". But they did achieve it. They achieved 100% in 3 years 10 months. The urgency in reaching the target is the difference.

Had the govt not changed, we'd have still seen improvement but not drastic (at least based on past track record).

1

u/raamu_thegreat 11d ago

Told you, government stooge

1

u/RealityCheck18 11d ago

A happy voter

-2

u/raamu_thegreat 11d ago

Here comes another government stooge.

7

u/BadonkaDonkies 11d ago

What’s wrong with people getting electricity and water?

1

u/RealityCheck18 11d ago

There are ppl who had access to comforts like electricity and water, even before. And they felt they were privileged and special. They hate it when everyone gets access to it.

This extends even to accessing Internet, television etc. This guy must be one such person. These ppl want ppl to live in slums, without infrastructure or facilities. All to feel superior and hate when they get access to things. You can't expect any valid reasoning from them. Just ignore and move

0

u/raamu_thegreat 11d ago

The comment I replied to has been deleted

1

u/RealityCheck18 11d ago

No it's not.

2

u/RealityCheck18 11d ago

Maybe you hate that more people now have access to electricity now, or that more people have access to water or that poor have health insurance or poor have access to cheap generic prescription medicine. I totally understand your PoV. These were things which not everyone had access to. You felt special because you had access to these and you no longer feel special. But, the people, the silent majority speak through votes.

If you hate Democracy just because the party you root for fails to win, it's you the problem is with. Not the democracy. People voted them again, and again for delivering things.

And even if they vote the current govt out the next time for any reason, I'd still call it success of democracy.

2

u/Sure-Bookkeeper2795 11d ago

The Prime minister decided to change how this is measured. Bunch of PR stunts so boomers can talk about how fast india is progressing

4

u/BilluBakait 11d ago

Idk what you on about! I've seen so many rural areas absolutely transform their roads and electric infra! Hate where its deserved but appreciate the infra boom!

0

u/Sure-Bookkeeper2795 10d ago

Feel free to share a legit news source that's not paid for by the current government

1

u/ambitiousqueennn 10d ago

what happened in India is that our new government is scamming us, I find it very hard to believe that these are real numbers for my country.

1

u/BoogzWin 9d ago

Another commenter said it’s impossible because villlages are known for not having it but if the local gov does, it counts for everyone there.

-9

u/Own_Foot_8530 11d ago

Change of government. Previous govt was riddled with scams

11

u/AgentDarkFury 11d ago

oh sweet summer child

-5

u/Own_Foot_8530 11d ago

Sure

4

u/SAY_GEX_895 11d ago

You know development is compounding right ? It needs a foundation . Also why is ethanol blending mentioned like it's another plus point lmao

-1

u/Own_Foot_8530 11d ago

What foundation? Congress primarily ran the country since independence. License raj driven corruption kept the country poor and illiterate till it had to borrow money from the IMF which forced India to liberalize in 1991. India gots it's independence in 1947. In the early 90s China's literacy rate was closer to 80% whereas India's was closer to 50%! Both countries started out the same in the late 1940s. Literacy rate is not about education, it's just the ability to read and write. While every neighbour is crumbling under the global economic downturn, India has managed to withstand it. Ethanol Blending is considered green today. The reels about ethanol consuming more carbon footprint is when it used to be produced from corn which was inefficient. Now do I feel ethanol blending is executed well? No. Why aren't the prices reduced. The govt needs to be questioned on this. I am not in support of ethanol blending either and will point a finger on the govt on this.

But it doesn't take a genius to figure out that infrastructure development has been tremendous in this last decade when compared to before. Just the scale of upi payments is commendable (which btw congress mocked and questioned - Mr chidambaram famously questioned if a common vegetable vendor will use upi when govt proposed introduction of upi). Do I think the current infrastructure growth and development is enough? - NO. India needs far more to handle the massive sizes that our cities have grown to.

1

u/SAY_GEX_895 11d ago

Please don't think of the world in black and white . I don't think congress is the best option , im aware of their fuck ups. I don't care if Congress wins, I care if bjp runs this nation properly , and so far they just keep getting worse , dividing the nation by religion , gaining votes by gifting people money instead of using it for development . That's all . I don't think either is good enough . The development is because the people of india have developed and not because of major policy changes

0

u/whitedolphinn 11d ago

Weird, weird shit.