A renewable energy based village electrification programme ‘Hamari Urja’ has changed the lives of 600 families in the backward region of Bundelkhand in Central India over a period of one year. The programme has not just provided solar based electricity through pico-grids and solar based irrigation pumping facility to farmers, but also created livelihood and income generation opportunities for these families. There are over 3500 individuals who have been impacted.

One such individual is a student named Vijay, pursuing a B.Sc. degree in Forensic Sciences from Bundelkhand University, who got an opportunity for livelihood and income enhancement as a Grid Maintenance In-charge in the ‘Hamari Urja’ intervention. His journey started when the social enterprise – Technology and Action for Rural Advancement (TARA), supported by the Coca Cola India Foundation, began programme implementation in neighbouring villages and Vijay volunteered to help with the community mobilisation process.

His dynamism and zeal in mobilising the communities and resources convinced TARA to additionally take his village – Chandranagar (Babina Block, Jhansi District, Uttar Pradesh) also under its plan of targeted villages. Owing to his skills and abilities, his entire village is now electrified through solar based energy.

Besides, his passion also got noticed by the solar panels equipment vendor, who then trained him and offered him the job of a Grid Maintenance In-charge for all the 17 pico-grids, installed across nine villages / hamlets in the Babina Block of Jhansi District in Uttar Pradesh. His selection was also the result of the highest score he achieved amongst 20 other candidates on a test conducted by the vendor. Today he earns Rs. 8500 per quarter as the overall in-charge and Rs. 780 per month for revenue collection from the Mahila Urja Samiti of his village. The latter is the result of a revenue model based approach used in the programme, which ensures that every household pays for the electricity they get from the grids and the amount collected gets deposited in a common bank account for the entire village. A three women member committee formed from within the village itself, monitors the revenue model and ensures collection from all the households. This will eventually result in achieving sustainability of the model and instil ownership among the community members.

For Vijay, this intervention has been a boon in two ways – electricity has been provided in his home and an income generating opportunity has been created for him. His life prior to this programme had not been very smooth. With no electricity available in the village, he had to ensure that he completed his studies before it got dark, or he had to study under the dim light of the kerosene lamp which affected his eyesight adversely. But today, he studies till as long as he wants in the night under the bright light of the LED bulb. Besides, he now earns sufficient money (over Rs. 3500 per month) to cater to his needs.

“With electricity in my village and the livelihood opportunity that I have got, my respect in the community has increased multi-fold. Other youth in the village have started seeing me as a role model. I feel so much more empowered with this new career opportunity that has emerged for me as I have learnt a new technique of managing grids in rural areas,” says Vijay.

With greater respect in the society and acquisition of a new technical skill, Vijay has started building capacities of other youth in his village and aspires to capitalise on this new career path.

The outcome of this programme has re-iterated the fact that sustainable livelihoods can be created in large numbers with the use of technology and building capacities of individuals!  q