Nowadays, Electric mills have come into operation in villages. Recently, the number of grain grinding in electric mills has started to increase in most of the villages of Rukum West.

After electricity reached various parts of the district, there has been individual and local-level investment in power generation in villages. Banfikot Rural Municipality-10 is operating hydropower plants for the convenience of its residents.

Village Chairman Hari Bahadur Chand informed that, after it became time-consuming for locals to mill grains, the ward office has been operating mills in two places with financial assistance. According to him, the ward has invested 135,000 rupees in a mill in Pherra and 235,000 rupees in a mill in Bayalya under the agricultural program.

The locals also contribute labor when constructing the mills. Ward Chairman Chand mentioned, ‘The locals will also perform tasks like surveying the mill’s layout, using electricity, and other related work once the mill is operational. Local residents will have access to free grain milling.’ According to him, after the mill is operational, around 20 households in Bayalya Tolka will be required to spend four hours each grinding grain, thus relieving the necessity.

Khadka Bahadur Budhathoki, who resides in Triveni-2 Chhinchare, noticed a change in the pattern of grain milling once the electrical mill started operating in the village. He remarked, ‘Previously, there used to be a higher number of people milling grain, and it took two to three days for your turn to come. Now, the queue is not as long as it used to be. In the past, around 45 households would come on the first day, and the milled grains would be taken back to their homes to be consumed. Nowadays, sometimes the mill is vacant, and at other times, only two or three people show up.

Mankali Oli, a 70-year-old from Triveni-2, mentioned that with the operation of the electrical mill in the village, there has been a convenience for milling grain. She said, “In the past, we used to grind grain at home and then eat it. But as electricity became more available, it has become easier to grind grains in the mill. Now, I can easily use the electrical mill in the village.” She also expressed her satisfaction with the time saved by using the mill.

Source: Nepal Purabadhar