45 villages in Mizoram still without power, Minister tells Assembly

Aizawl, Mar 5: Forty-five villages in Mizoram have remained classified as un-electrified or de-electrified, Power and Electricity minister F Rodingliana informed the state Assembly on Thursday.

In a written reply to queries from opposition BJP member Prova Chakma, Rodingliana said that efforts are on to provide electricity to households in these villages under the Revamped Distribution Sector Scheme (RDSS).

He said that sanctions have been secured and three contractors, including two from outside, have been finalised for the electrification of these remote villages.

"The Guaranteed Technical Particulars (GTP) drawings for supply of materials have already been approved, and initial supplies have already begun reaching some of the designated sites," Rodingliana said.

The Minister said that there are reports of several transformer damages across the state, and 71 are awaiting allotment for repair.

While several villages and neighbourhoods still house unrepaired units, the Minister maintained that power supply in most of these areas has not been completely cut off.

In most cases, many affected areas are being back-fed from nearby functioning transformers to maintain a continuous supply for residents, he said.

Addressing the frequent delays in transformer maintenance, Rodingliana detailed a multi-step repair process that relies heavily on logistics.

Distribution Transformers (DT) must undergo a formal survey and receive Head Office approval before being transported to a specialised contractor's workshop in Assam's Silchar town, he said.

Rodingliana said that manpower shortage has slowed the preparation of Survey Estimate Reports and the poor condition of the Aizawl-Silchar road over the past year significantly delayed the transport of DT.

However, he noted that when road conditions are stable and staff are available, a backup stock of repaired units is typically maintained to speed up the process.

Responding to public concern regarding safety, Rodingliana confirmed plans to replace severely corroded electric poles that pose a collapse risk.

He said that Rs 2.70 crore has been sanctioned in the 2025-26 financial year for replacement of such rusted poles.

The minister further said that the demand for Low Tension (LT) line extension is high, and work is being prioritised based on the availability of additional funds from the government.

PTI