Nemra Village: A Lesson or a Question for Jharkhand and India?

Ashok Kumar Jha 

Chief Editor : Ranchi Dastak and PSA Live News

In the heart of Jharkhand lies Nemra, a small village with a big story. Known primarily as the native place of former Chief Minister Shibu Soren and his son Hemant Soren, who himself has been Chief Minister three times, Nemra recently witnessed a miracle of governance. Within just ten days, the village transformed from a relatively ordinary settlement into a model hub with paved roads, electricity, and even Wi-Fi connectivity.

Officials worked day and night. Contractors showed efficiency rarely seen elsewhere. Funds, which otherwise take months or years to clear, were released instantly. Nemra lit up like a festival, turning into what newspapers called a "smart village" almost overnight.

But behind this glittering showcase of administrative speed lies a piercing question:

👉 If such transformation is possible in one village within ten days, why not in the rest of Jharkhand?
👉 Why do countless villages continue to wait for decades for roads, clean drinking water, or electricity?
👉 Does development in India depend only on the political importance of a place?

Nemra has thus become more than just a village story. It is now a mirror reflecting the priorities of governance, the inequalities of development, and the struggles of millions of ordinary citizens across Jharkhand—and indeed, India. 

The Miracle of Nemra: How It Happened

Nemra’s transformation was not the result of a carefully designed long-term plan or a standard government scheme. It was urgency—political urgency—that drove the change.

• Senior bureaucrats descended on the village, working late into the night.
• Contractors bypassed the usual delays, completing tasks with a speed that surprised everyone.
• Funds, often stuck in red tape, were released within days.
• Roads were paved, electric poles erected, and Wi-Fi installed in record time.

All of this happened because Nemra was under the spotlight. With its association to two chief ministers, it could not be ignored.

And so, in just ten days, Nemra became a showcase village.

But this very speed raises uncomfortable questions. If Nemra could achieve this in ten days, then:
👉 Why do projects in other villages drag on for years?
👉 Why does it take decades for a road promised to one village to finally get constructed, often long after the foundation stone has turned into a forgotten relic?

The Contrast: Nemra vs. The Rest of Jharkhand

Jharkhand is a state with immense natural wealth. It is home to coal, iron ore, uranium, and some of the richest forests in India. Yet, paradoxically, its villages remain among the poorest and most underdeveloped.

Travel just a few kilometers outside Nemra, and the reality is starkly different:

• Villages without electricity despite repeated government promises.
• Roads that turn into muddy swamps during monsoon.
• Handpumps that run dry every summer, leaving women to walk miles for water.
• Schools functioning without proper classrooms, teachers, or even toilets.

For decades, successive governments have launched grand schemes: “Har Ghar Nal Jal” (Tap Water for Every Household), rural electrification projects, model village programs. But the ground reality remains largely unchanged.

In contrast, Nemra received everything at once. The symbolism is impossible to ignore.

Nemra’s glow is therefore not just light—it is a blinding spotlight on governance failure elsewhere.

Political Priorities and the Question of Equality

The speed of Nemra’s development reveals an uncomfortable truth: In India, development often follows power, not need.

When a village is home to a chief minister, the government machinery moves at lightning speed. But when it is a remote hamlet with no political clout, promises linger in files, tenders remain pending, and officials visit only when elections approach.

This raises critical questions:

• Is the right to development equal for all citizens?
• Or is it a privilege reserved for those living in politically significant places?
• Does a poor farmer in a distant village have fewer rights than a politician’s neighbor?

Such questions strike at the very heart of democracy. If equality is the foundation of the Indian Constitution, then why should Nemra sparkle while thousands of villages remain in darkness?

Jharkhand’s Long Struggle with Development

Since its creation in 2000, Jharkhand has been caught between immense potential and persistent poverty.

The state contributes significantly to India’s mineral wealth, but the benefits rarely reach its people. The paradox is stark:

• Rich in resources, but poor in human development indicators.
• Billions earned from mining, but villages without basic amenities.
• Leaders rising to power from tribal backgrounds, but tribal villages still deprived of education and healthcare.

The story of Nemra amplifies this paradox. If development can be fast-tracked for one politically connected village, then the lack of progress elsewhere cannot be blamed on lack of funds or resources. It can only be blamed on lack of political will.

The Symbolism of Roads and Electricity

Infrastructure has always been the face of development. Roads, electricity, and internet connectivity are more than just amenities—they are gateways to opportunity.

• A proper road means access to markets, hospitals, and schools.
• Electricity means children can study at night, farmers can irrigate fields, and small businesses can thrive.
• Internet means access to education, digital payments, and a connection to the larger world.

When Nemra received all three in a matter of days, it showed that Jharkhand is not incapable of development. Rather, it proved that when the government decides to act, miracles are possible.

The tragedy is that this miracle remains selective.

Voices from the Ground

Ordinary villagers from across Jharkhand have been quick to point out the injustice. Many ask:

• “Are we less Jharkhandi than the people of Nemra?”
• “Is development only for those who live near politicians?”
• “If funds are available for Nemra, why not for us?”

These voices highlight a dangerous divide—the feeling that democracy is no longer serving everyone equally, but selectively.

Lessons from Nemra

Nemra is both a success story and a warning.

The success story is that it shows what can be done when the government acts decisively. It proves that red tape, bureaucratic lethargy, and resource shortages are not insurmountable obstacles.

The warning is that if such urgency is reserved only for VIP villages, it will deepen resentment and alienation among ordinary citizens. In a state already struggling with issues of identity, displacement, and inequality, such selective development can widen social fractures.

A National Question: Nemra as a Mirror of India

While Nemra is in Jharkhand, its lesson is national. Across India, countless villages face the same neglect. Whether it is drought-hit Maharashtra, flood-prone Assam, or forest villages in Odisha, the pattern repeats:

• Projects announced with fanfare.
• Deadlines endlessly extended.
• Funds delayed or siphoned off.
• Villagers left waiting for decades.

Yet when the government’s prestige is at stake—or when a place is politically sensitive—development happens overnight.

Nemra thus reflects a larger truth about India’s governance: development follows politics, not people’s needs.

What Needs to Change

If the Nemra episode is to mean anything, it should spark a larger transformation. Some key steps are necessary:

1. Equality in Development – Every village should be treated with the same urgency as Nemra.
2. Time-Bound Implementation – If a road can be built in ten days in Nemra, it should not take years elsewhere. Strict deadlines must be enforced.
3. Transparency in Funds – The sudden availability of funds for Nemra proves that money is not the real problem. The system must ensure timely release for all.
4. Accountability of Officials – Bureaucrats should not wait for political pressure. Their responsibility is to citizens, not leaders.
5. Citizen Empowerment – Villagers must demand their rights, not just wait for elections. Social audits, RTIs, and local mobilization are essential.

Conclusion: Beyond Nemra

Nemra has shown us two faces of governance—the best and the worst. The best, because it proved that transformation is possible in days, not decades. The worst, because it exposed how selective that transformation is.

The real question now is:
👉 Will Jharkhand’s government make every village a Nemra?
👉 Or will it allow Nemra to remain an exception, a VIP island in a sea of neglect?

Democracy demands equality. Development is not a favor—it is a right. Until every village in Jharkhand and India enjoys the same urgency as Nemra, the promise of democracy remains unfulfilled.

For Nemra, the lights have come on. But for the rest of Jharkhand, the wait continues.