Power Breakthrough: Illuminating the Dark Corners of Naxal-Hit Villages

Seventeen remote villages in the Naxal-threatened Mohla-Manpur-Ambagarh Chowki district of Chhattisgarh are now celebrating, thanks to a significant electrification project. For the first time, these communities have been linked to the electricity supply grid, an endeavor completed under the Mukhyamantri Majratola Vidyutikaran Yojana at an investment of Rs 3 crore.

The project promises to benefit 540 families, although thus far, only 275 households have successfully received electricity connections. Overcoming the challenging terrain and persistent Naxalite threat, officials describe the effort to supply electricity as no less than a mission.

Previously reliant on solar power, with recurrent maintenance issues and thefts, these communities often resorted to kerosene lamps for lighting. The new electricity connections symbolize a pivotal development. Residents expressed their joy through village celebrations, with children dancing and elders setting off fireworks. The state's commitment to advance basic facilities, even in hyper-sensitive areas, remains strong.

(With inputs from agencies.)