Unfortunately, after 67 years of Independence, many villages of the most minerals and industrial rich district of Sundargarh are still deprived of electricity supply. As per Government sources, out of 1,792 revenue villages of 17 blocks in the district, the villagers of 293 villages are still passing their nights with dim light of lanterns or kerosene burners or by other hand made methods. As per the data, out of 17 blocks, the Gurundia block under Bonai subdivision is worst affected so far as electricity supply is concerned. In this block, out of total 146 villages, 48 villages are supplied with Rajiv Gandhi Grameen Vidyutikaran Yojana (RGGVY), 31 villages supplied with other schemes and still 67 villages are not yet connected with electricity.
Similarly, in the mineral-rich Koira block, out of 112 villagers, while 39 are connected under the RGGVY, 38 are connected under other schemes and 35 villages still unconnected. In lahunipara block, out of 220 villages, 97 connected under RGGVY, 67 under other schemes and 56 yet to get electricity. More significantly, after Rourkela-Rajgangpur is considered as the second industrial area of the district, but in this block out of total 77 villages, 37 are supplied under RGGVY, 16 under other schemes and still 24 villages are in dark. In the Kutra block, all 54 villages are covered with electricity supply.
While 29 villages out of 118 of Bonai block are uncovered, five out of 88 of lathikata block, eight out of 108 of Kuarmunda block, two out of 90 of Bisra block, five out of 120 of Nuagaon block, 18 out of 100 of Balisankara block, two out of 86 of Sadar block, 1 out of 63 of Subdega block, eight out of 81 of Tangarpali block, 13 out of 108 of lephripara block, 21 out of 152 of Hemgiri block and one out of 69 villages of Bargaon block are still uncovered with electricity supply, reveals the data. Secondly, due to unavailability of electricity, the villagers are not only passing the nights with difficulties, but also the students who are pursuing their higher education or planning to pursue higher education have been facing a lot of problems at the time of applying for further studies through on-line.