A Village in Darkness
Channel: VideoVolunteers
Date: 2015-07-30

Sajankhar village, Kawardha District, Chhattisgarh | Deena Ganveer

Access to electricity remains another major problem for Scheduled Tribes across India with only 51% using it as a main source to light up their houses. Chhattisgarh fares better than neighbouring states of Odisha and Madhya Pradesh with about 56.8% of the ST population being able to depend on electricity. There are still about 40.1% of the ST population, women like Kotwarin Baiga, who have to depend on kerosene or other sources to light up their homes at night. Kotwarin is one of 22 people living in Kawardha District’s Sajankhar village. “I light candles in the evening and cajole my children to study,” she says. 

On speaking to Rohit Mandavi, (Electricity Department Official) we were told that the village has been recently surveyed for electrification under the Rajiv Gandhi Electrification Programme (Phase II). They are waiting for funds & approval from the Central Government.

See more: http://www.videovolunteers.org/baiga-tribals-alienated-by-government-schemes