LIGHTING A BILLION LIVES

Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE) has adopted the model of Lighting a Billion Lives and has been supporting to scale up the dissemination model to promote rural entrepreneurship and provide clean lighting options to rural households in various states of India. The ministry has supported two projects covering 1000 villages in more than 15 Indian states.

With the support of Department of Telecommunications under the Universal Service Obligation Fund (USoF), TERI has set up Solar Mobile Charging Stations (SMCFs) while dovetailing Lighting a Billion Lives (LaBL) program’s efforts. Through the cent per cent subsidy towards cost of equipment, the SMCFs aim to facilitate uninterrupted mobile connectivity for rural customers, who do not have access to regular electricity supply. Under the project 1900 SMCFs have been installed across the 21 states in the country.

Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan is Government of India's flagship programme for achievement of Universalization of Elementary Education (UEE). The scheme aims to ensure access and quality education to girls belonging to disadvantaged groups by setting up boarding facilities at the elementary level. Lighting a Billion Lives together with Rajya Shiksha Kendra (RSK), Bhopal has provided basic lighting infrastructure through installation of solar charging station in Kasturba Gandhi Balika Vidyalaya (KGBV) at Killod of Khandwa district of Madhya Pradesh.

Koraput is a naxal affected tribal district in Odisha where most of the schools and villages are inaccessible and remote and lack access to electricity. ITDA has provided clean lighting under the Lighting a Billion Lives initiative to 59 tribal school hostels and villages in the district. The initiative has benefited the students not only by extending their hours of studying by at least two hours but has also has reduced the strain on their eyes and health due to the usage of kerosene lamps.

Uttar Pradesh Participatory Forestry Management and Poverty Alleviation Project (UP PFMPAP) has partnered with Lighting a Billion Lives initiative to extend clean lighting to forest settlements in Uttar Pradesh and to safeguard people from the wild animals during night.

Bihar Rural Livelihood Project (JEEVIKA) has come together with Lighting a Billion Lives initiative to provide clean lighting source to women SHG members. Under this collaborative programme, TERI has set up 10 solar charging stations (SCS) and 3 Solar Mobile Charging Facility (SMCF) in Dhamdaha Block of Purnia District. These charging stations are being run by women SHG members and they are trained by TERI on operation and management of SCS as well as SMCF. The users of these charging stations are the members of the SHGs as well as some small shopkeepers running shops in the village.

In partnership with Madhya Pradesh Rural Livelihoods Project (MPRLP), Lighting a Billion Lives initiative has been able to successfully establish linkages with the Anuppur, Shahdol & Dhar District Project Support Units (DPSU) under MPRLP. Under the collaboration 46 villages have been covered so far with MPRLP Anuppur DPSU, 17 villages with MPRLP Shahdol DPSU whereas 4 villages with MPRLP Dhar DPSU.

The District Poverty Initiatives Project (DPIP) is an ambitious project of the Government of Madhya Pradesh for the alleviation of poverty in the State. DPIP has collaborated with Lighting a Billion Lives initiative to extend clean lighting to 41 villages with Rajgarh unit, 22 villages with Shivpuri unit, 66 villages with Guna unit, 14 villages with Sidhi unit, whereas 3 villages with Panna unit.

Chhattisgarh State Renewable Development Agency (CREDA) and TERI joined hands to implement the Solar Mobile Charging Facility (SMCF) in 50 villages supported under the Department of Telecommunications project. This initiative not only benefited the people in using a clean energy source but also save money by using a much cheaper (as compared to diesel generator sets/battery chargers) and reliable mobile charging through the solar systems. This also has helped the CREDA to create awareness about utilizing alternative sources of energy in the villages.