Palakkad:
The country now has one district which can call itself 'fully' electrified.
Palakkad district in Kerala now has electricity in every single home including the farthest of tribal hamlets.
We bring you this report from the lit up region:
Sulochana, a labourer, never imagined that someday just just turning a switch on would light up her dungeon like kitchen. She and her aging labourer husband live atop a hill where rubber is grown.
Until now, the sun decided when Sulochana could cook. But today she invites us home saying, "Welcome to the country's first fully lit district - Palakkad in Kerala."
``I told my children who are away that we got light. Now we need to get a table-fan after we make some money," she says.
Work to bring electricity to every home in Palakkad started in January last year, and costed 23 crore rupees from the state exchequer.
More than 12000 homes got electricity in this region, which has the state's highest number of families below poverty line.
``We are giving away CFL bulbs at subsidised rates so that consumption of power is less. This way we are automatically even generating power," says K K Divakaran, MLA from Palakkad.
According to estimates, one in every 3 below poverty line families in India is still depend on kerosene lanterns to quell darkness.
Palakkad, the biggest district in Kerala, also happens to be home to Congress MP Shashi Tharoor. It is next Thrisur and Idduki's turn to get fully electrified.
With this, the ruling CPM hopes to prevent darkness for the party, when Kerala votes next year.