Nagaur brings electricity to all rural schools

Almost half of the total 2,167 rural primary and upper primary (up to Class 5 and 8) schools in Nagaur, a central district in Rajasthan, have been deprived of electricity for several decades.

But this isn’t the case anymore. Under the Ujas (light) scheme launched by the district administration in June 2020, all but 13 schools have since been electrified, says a district education officer. With this, Nagaur is set to become the first district in the state to provide power supply to all rural schools.

In a letter written to district collectors on March 2, 2021, the Rajasthan Planning Department directed them to replicate the Nagaur model in a state where 11,154 schools are without electricity.

Over the last nine months, the district administration persuaded companies, individuals (called Bhama Shahs after the philanthropic general of Maharana Pratap) and political representatives to donate funds for the installation of electric poles and fans in schools. In addition, Ajmer Vidyut Vitran Nigam Limited, a state-run power distributor, was directed to provide connection under the “domestic” category.

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