About 79 per cent Government schools in Sundargarh district are yet to get electricity connection, which is very shocking.
According to sources, there are total 2,347 Government schools in Sundargarh district which includes primary schools, upper primary schools and high schools. However, of them, about 1,860 schools have no electricity.
Sources said, a maximum number of schools in Gurundia block in Sundargarh district do not have electricity connection. In Gurundia block, out of 163 schools, 148 schools have not got electricity connection. The Education Department has assigned the School Managing Committee of primary and upper primary schools to undertake electrification works from various grants including the fund of Rashtriya Madhyamik Sikhya Abhiyan(RMSA), but the SMCs are sitting idle.
Due to the non availability of electricity, the students have been facing a lot of difficulties while studying during evening hours. For better education of the students, the Government has implemented science teaching through projector but due to non- availability of electricity, the projectors lie unused. These students too are deprived of computer and laboratory facility due to no power availability.
According to sources, lahunipada block in Bonei sub division stands second for not having electricity connection in 138 schools out of 170 schools, Koira block stands third as there is no electricity in 133 schools out of 145 schools, Hemgiri block stands fourth as there is no electricity in 131 schools out of 151 schools and Balishankara block stands in fifth position as there is no electricity in 128 schools out of 150 schools. Similarly, in lathikata block, there is no electricity connection in 113 schools out of 145 schools. In Nuagaon block, there is no electricity connection in 111 schools out of 128 schools, in Bargaon block in 106 schools there is no electricity out of 125 schools, in Kuanrmunda block there is no electricity in 103 schools out of 123 schools, in lepripada block 101 schools out of 170 are bereft of power. In Sundargarh Muncipality, 15 schools do not have electricity connection out 120, in Rourkela Municipality, 43 schools do not have electricity connection out of 100, in Rajgangpur Municipality, eight schools do not have electricity connection out of 23, in Birmitrapur Municipality, out of 21 schools, 15 schools do not have electricityconnection.