Singati (Dolakha): 45-year-old Bhakta Siwakoti of Lamidanda-6, a village in the north of Dolakha district, has set an example for rural electrification by lighting up three VDCs.

About 200 households of Laduk, Lamidanda and Jhyaku villages are getting uninterrupted power supply from the plant Siwakoti installed himself. Kerosene lamps have become obsolete in these villages.
Siwakoti took a loan from a local cooperative and started the project.

As the project progressed, the costs crossed his estimation. He borrowed money from his relatives. "The project cost me Rs 2.1 million altogether," he says.

Besides lighting up the villages, the electricity is used to run mills for rice, flour and oil.

Siwakoti only studied up to Class Four, and was completely new to the field. But he mobilised locals. Chet Kumar Shrestha offered him technical support while his friends and family members helped him in construction work. "This is not work for experts," he says.

The tariff rate is also reasonable: Rs 105 for fixed 15 units per month and Rs 10 per unit beyond that.

"We got rid of kerosene lamps," says local shopkeeper Arjun Pande, "We open our shops until late in the evening these days."