DMF Fund Misuse / Crores Spent, But 62 Villages Still in Dark: Sundargarh’s Solar Lights That Never Shone

Sundargarh, Jul 29: Despite an expenditure of over ₹103 crore from the District Mineral Foundation (DMF) fund, 62 villages across Sundargarh district continue to remain in darkness as most solar street lights installed under the project have stopped functioning within a year of installation.

The initiative, launched during the previous government’s tenure, aimed to illuminate village roads by installing solar-powered lights across 42 panchayats in 17 blocks. However, villagers allege that the majority of the lights are now defunct, leaving rural roads unsafe at night.

For instance, in Bijadihi village under Kulata panchayat, 10 solar lights were installed in 2018–19. Within a year, most of them stopped working.

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Earlier, in 2016, ₹22.22 lakh had been sanctioned for solar lights in Kulata panchayat, but villagers claim that the lights failed soon after installation. Complaints lodged with the panchayat office yielded no repairs.

Similar conditions prevail across other villages, raising serious questions about the quality of work and alleged misuse of DMF funds. Locals allege large-scale corruption involving contractors and officials, pointing to how crores were spent without sustainable results.

Santosh Amat, Chairman of Sundargarh Independent Parishad, has demanded a high-level probe into the matter, calling it a glaring example of how DMF funds meant for development in mining-affected areas were misused.

The DMF fund was established to support development in regions impacted by mining activities. However, the failure of the solar lighting project has triggered widespread resentment among residents, who feel betrayed by the misuse of public money.

As villagers continue to walk dark roads despite crores being spent, the controversy has reignited debates over accountability, transparency, and the need for stricter monitoring of DMF-funded projects in Odisha.