RAIPUR: In Kondagaon district of the Bastar division, an uplifting change is taking place, not through conflict, but through electricity, infrastructure, and empowerment.
For Chaman Lal Pawar, a vegetable seller and a resident of Bade Kanera gram panchayat in Kondagaon district, the dream of a secure future was once as fragile as the mud walls of his ancestral hut.
Pawar who also works as a daily wage labourer, has five members in his family and now resides in a secure, permanent home powered by solar energy.
His house built under the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana-G (PMAY-G) is the first across the Maoist affected regions of Bastar to have installed a 3 kW solar rooftop plant under the ‘PM Surya Ghar: Muft Bijli Yojana’, the officials said.
Pawar learned about the scheme when electricity department officials visited his village to educate residents about solar rooftop benefits and the application process.
After the installation he received government subsidies (both Centre and the state) of Rs 1,08,000 for a 3 kW solar rooftop plant.
"The money I save on electricity bills now goes directly into my children’s education and our healthcare needs," Pawar explains. In a region where infrastructure has historically been difficult to maintain, decentralised solar power offers a permanent solution to energy poverty.
“The integration of other flagship schemes like PM Ujjwala Yojana, Jal Jeevan Mission has rounded out the family's transition. This transformation is the result of CM Vishnu Deo Sai’s vision for effective governance. Through continuous monitoring and awareness campaigns by the district administration, benefits are reaching eligible beneficiaries in a timely manner”, said Nupur Rashi Panna, Kondagaon collector.
The "Bastar Model" of development showcased here isn't just about a roof and a lightbulb, it is also about the existing environment of the home.
“The additional electricity generated by rooftop solar will automatically go to the power grid (of power distribution company—CSPDCL) following which the amount will be deducted from the bill of the beneficiary every month on the basis of the solar electricity production. Besides Rs 2.50 per kwh will be paid for unused carry-forward solar energy units for every financial year”, said Gopesh Kumar, AE, CSPDCL-Kondagaon.