Page 151 - SocialHarmony

Shining Villages 155

was so bad that children could not study at night during exams
and people could not have their dinner in peace due to
uncertainty of electric supply. People remember the days when
they could not milk their cattle in early morning because there
was no electricity. Many a time, villagers had to make do with
‘khichdi,’ because without electricity, the village grinding mill
could not grind the wheat. All these problems were very
common.

These problems have been solved due to the Jyotigram
Yojna, which provides uninterrupted twenty-four hour three
phase power. Gujarat is the only state in the country to receive
electricity for twenty-four hours. We have been able to take
Gujarat on the path of complete development through a
revolution. Jyotigram Yojna is a major achievement. We have
brought about a revolution in energy for a prosperous society
and prosperous Gujarat. We have illuminated villages by
supplying twenty-four hour three-phase power. We have spread
light in lives of many villagers. Many revolutionary social and
economic advantages have been achieved because of this plan.
Even the person on the last rung of society is getting twenty-
four hours electricity at his farm and his home. The standard of
education of students in villages will definitely improve due to
uninterrupted supply of electricity. Not only will the standard
of living of villagers improve, but also the migration of people
from villages to cities will reduce. Twenty-four hour electricity
supply has reduced the difference between a village and a city.
A youngster living in a village can also use computers; a village
student has started getting facilities equivalent to that in a city.
Since the farmers are getting twenty-four hours single-phase
electric supply, the life of their pumps has increased. His
financial situation has improved because of the increased crop
production. People of cities no longer hesitate in getting their
daughters married to boys living in villages. We have been able
to supply electricity to everyone, whether he is rich or poor.

This has not come easily. Everyone would surely remember
the days when it took endless petitions only to shift an electric
pillar that was in the way. We have come a long way from those