A power station in Dimapur. (Morung File Photo)
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Morung Express News
Dimapur | September 4
The Department of Power, Nagaland issued a press release today spelling out the reasons for the reported 9 ‘unelectrified’ villages in the state.
The clarification from the DoPN, issued through the Directorate of Information & Public Relations, was in reaction to a news report published by The Morung Express on August 25 about the status of electrification in Nagaland. The report was based on data released by the Department of Economics & Statistics’— Local/block Level Statistics for Local Level Planning 2020, undertaken under the aegis of the ‘Support for Statistical Strengthening’ scheme of the Union Ministry of Economics & Statistics. The survey covered the availability of basic amenities, including electricity, as on January 31, 2020.
As per the survey report, out of the 1237 recognised villages in Nagaland, 9 were still without electricity. The “unelectrified” villages were: Amikioro under Khongsa Block in Kiphire, Songsang under Athibung block in Peren, Aopao Chinglen under Aboi Block in Mon, Yaphang under Angjangyang Block in Mon, Yeangmai under Tobu Block in Mon, Langa under Chessore Block in Tuensang, Pangking and Thangoun under Thonoknyu Block in Tuensang and Ronren under Wokha Block in Wokha district.
Three factors were attributed for the said villages being off the grid. It said that Amikioro fell beyond the 1.5km HT line requirement as stipulated by the Ministry of Power’s (MoP) Rural Electrification Corporation (REC) guidelines. However, it added that solar lights were issued to 19 households under the Saubhagya Scheme “and hence the village is declared as an electrified village.”
With only three households (2016-17), Songsang village did not qualify for village electrification. As for the other six villages, it said, “As per REC/MoP guidelines, only villages included under 2011 census villages were taken up. These villages were not found in 2011 census,” it said.
