The increasing attraction of the Madhes towards electric stoves

Dhalkebar (Dhanusha), March 15: Until a few years ago, the residents of rural areas of Madhes province, who used to make balls of cattle dung on the walls of their houses and even on the roads and used it as fuel for cooking, are now attracted to electric stoves. With the extension of central transmission power lines to villages, the use of electric stoves has started to increase due to public awareness that clean energy should be used in the kitchen.

Most of the youths here are going for foreign employment and some people are involved in various businesses in the country, when the economic status of the family improves, the construction of concrete houses and the use of LP gas or electric stoves in the kitchen have started to be prioritized. Although it is easy to use LP gas, sometimes it is not available at the time of search, it is difficult to bring the cylinder to the market and there is a risk of it bursting. Since it can be used for a long time after purchase and can be taken anywhere in the house to cook, this stove has started to become the choice of housewives.

Consumers are attracted to electric stoves as they are cheaper than LP gas. Shivkumari Singh of Sitapur Khoria, Bateshwar rural municipality says that it feels easier and safer to cook in an electric stove than in a gas stove. Krishnakumari Singh, a local school teacher from the same place, says that her husband and children also helped her in the kitchen after she started using the electric stove.

Stating that he was able to go to school on time because the food was prepared quickly in the electric stove, he says, “After my observation, other teachers have also started using the electric stove.” At first, the local Renudevi Mahato thought that it would not be possible to bake bread, roast corn etc. in an electric oven. But since everything can be cooked in a pot that fits on the stove, he has now always started using the electric stove.

He says, “Now I don’t worry about running out of gas or not getting it in the market.” He says that since he started using the stove seven months ago, he did not go to the market to buy gas. Microfinance institutions have also provided loan services at subsidized rates so that consumers do not have to pay a lump sum to buy stoves. With the aim of providing access to clean energy to the residents of the rural settlements here, according to social responsibility, the Mithila Microfinance Institution has been providing loans at subsidized interest rates for the purchase of electric stoves.