{
  "id": 7023162,
  "title": "Teachers Light The Lamp Of Knowledge In Darkness In 7000 Schools Across Madhya Pradesh",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/12/teachers-light-the-lamp-of-knowledge-in-darkness-in-7000-schools",
  "topic": "world",
  "section": "World",
  "published": "2026-09-12T23:30:00.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Free Press Journal",
    "slug": "free-press-journal",
    "url": "https://www.freepressjournal.in/bhopal/teachers-light-the-lamp-of-knowledge-in-darkness-in-7000-schools-across-madhya-pradesh"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "In Madhya Pradesh, 7,000 government schools are still without electricity, despite the government's claim that power has reached every corner of the state. This lack of electricity hinders the use of smart classrooms, computers, and other digital teaching facilities, as well as basic amenities like fans and lighting. The state's school education department has tasked the three power distribution companies in the region with providing electricity connections to these schools. However, the work is yet to be finished in many schools. The Madhya Kshetra Vidyut Vitaran Company has completed work in around 800 schools, while the Paschim Kshetra company has covered about 1,800. In the Poorv Kshetra area, 1,763 of 2,752 schools have had electricity connections installed. MPEB officials stated that immediate connections are not possible due to the absence of buildings, electricity lines, or network expansion requirements in some schools. Construction has been approved for around 200 building-less primary and secondary schools, and 1,816 new buildings for dilapidated schools and 5,450 repair works are planned over two years. The issue stems from some schools not having buildings and operating from other locations, under trees, or in community halls. In some areas, electricity is present but does not reach the schools as the MPEB requires payment for providing connections, whereas government departments typically do not make advance payments. Retired Rajya Shiksha Kendra official and present SCERT member Damodar Jain explained that RSK does not make advance payments, and the lengthy process of clearing monthly electricity bills often results in dues accumulating with MPEB. He added that the department is often reluctant to extend electricity connections to schools as it bears the cost of the electricity consumed. Despite these challenges, the school education department is working swiftly to provide electricity to schools, with Secretary Sanjay Goyal stating that only a few schools remain without power.",
  "summary": "Bhopal (Madhya Pradesh): At a time when the government claims that electricity has reached every corner of Madhya Pradesh, as per the education department, 7,000 government schools are still without power supply. The absence of electricity also limits the use of smart classrooms, computers and other digital teaching facilities, while affecting basic amenities such as fans and lighting. The school…",
  "key_points": [
    "7,000 government schools in Madhya Pradesh lack electricity.",
    "Power distribution companies working to connect schools.",
    "Challenges include missing buildings and pending bills."
  ],
  "editors_take": "The push to electrify 7,000 off-grid schools in Madhya Pradesh marks a step towards normalizing learning conditions, but entrenched issues with infrastructure and payment protocols still slow progress.",
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}