Sore over government apathy, Odisha villagers raise funds, install utility poles 

Fed up with the government apathy, the villagers of Budhakua of Badeguda panchayat under Mohana block in Gajapati district have reportedly installed electric poles through crowd-funding. 

At a time when the state government is making tall claims about rural electrification, the ground reality in Budhakua village is telling a different story. The village is still awaiting electricity. 

Without electricity, they have been facing a lot of problems. The worst suffers are the school and college-going students. 

Though the villagers had taken up the issue with the officials concerned on several occasions, their issue was not addressed. 

With no option left, the villagers decided to make monetary contribution as per their might and eventually installed electric poles.

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“There is no electricity in our village. After returning from school, we are unable to study in the evenings. We can’t do homework. We are studying in candlelight as kerosene is not available now,” rued Ankita Mallick, a student. 

“Our neighbouring villages have electricity, but we don’t have. School-going children are facing problems. They can’t do their homework,” lamented Teresa Singh, a villager. 

When asked, engineer of Tata Power Santosh Kumar Sahu said, “After receiving the villagers’ complaint, I visited the village. I have also submitted my report to the higher officials. Once approved, the village will be electrified.”