Promised Light, Delivered Darkness: The Untold Story of Bihar's Tribal Villages
While the NDA government in Bihar proudly promotes its scheme providing 125 units of free electricity to each household, a starkly different reality unfolds in the remote Kaimur hills spanning Rohtas and Kaimur districts. Here, approximately 70,000 residents across 200 villages continue to live in complete darkness, denied this basic amenity even 78 years after India's independence.
Failed Infrastructure and Wasted Public Funds
The irony of the situation becomes painfully evident when examining government records. Last year alone, authorities spent over ₹3 crore under the 'Samagra Shiksha Abhiyan' to construct toilets and install water tanks in more than 100 schools across the region. However, this investment now stands completely wasted.
The toilets remain non-functional because there's no electricity to operate the submersible pumps required for water supply. Empty water tanks dot the landscape, while pumps have never become operational in many cases. Several tanks now show visible signs of rust and damage, highlighting poor planning and careless execution of public funds.
The Brief Glimmer of Hope That Faded
In 2018, hope finally arrived in these neglected hilly villages. Through the central government's 'Saubhagya Scheme' and the state's 'Har Ghar Bijli' initiative, more than 200 off-grid solar power plants of 20kW capacity each were installed across the region.
For the first time since independence, residents experienced limited electricity - enough to power two LED bulbs and run a fan during specific hours: from 6pm to 11pm and again from 4am to 6am. This development significantly improved their quality of life and addressed critical drinking water needs through solar-powered pumps.
However, this progress proved short-lived. Within just two years, the solar grids began failing systematically. Today, all installations stand completely non-functional, plunging villages back into darkness and worsening the drinking water crisis as the solar-powered water pumps ceased operation.
Voices From the Darkness: Residents Share Their Plight
Ram Lal Orawn, a 70-year-old resident of Jonaha village, expressed his fading dream of seeing proper electric infrastructure in his lifetime. Social worker Basant Soni highlighted the political neglect, noting that despite being represented by heavyweight leaders like Jagjivan Ram, his daughter Meira Kumar, and Muni Lal Ram - all of whom served in the Union cabinet - the region remains deprived of basic amenities.
Ram Awatar Singh Kharwar (56) from Rehal village described the harsh reality: "During campaigns, leaders from all parties climb the hills to seek our votes. But when we suffer due to lack of electricity and water, no one comes back." He added that families spend nights in darkness surrounded by wildlife, and children cannot study after sunset.
Rama Adhar Singh Kharawar (70) from Budhuwa village revealed that the monthly PDS kerosene supply of 1 litre at ₹100 per family has been discontinued. "After sunset, we shut ourselves inside our homes and use firewood during the night to protect ourselves from wild animals," he shared.
Broken Promises and Continuing Struggles
The much-publicized Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojana has yet to reach these hilly villages, forcing families to continue using firewood for cooking. The seasonal migration pattern continues unabated, with most villagers except the elderly and ailing moving to plains with their cattle during summer, setting up temporary camps near the Sone river until monsoon arrives.
Despite the hilly region being declared an open defecation free zone years ago, students in residential schools still relieve themselves in open fields due to non-functional toilets - a direct consequence of the electricity crisis that renders water supply systems inoperative.
The situation in Bihar's Kaimur hills presents a sobering reminder of the implementation gaps between policy announcements and ground reality, leaving tribal and backward communities perpetually waiting for the development promised to them.
