The Hindu Business Line : Solar systems light up remote villagesn in Dakshina Kannada

MR Dayanand Salian of Laila village in Belthangady taluk of Dakshina Kannada district would not have imagined getting power connection to his house four years ago. A farmer with a small holding, he was not in a position to pay for the electricity poles and other costs to draw power lines to his house.

Things have changed now, thanks to the Shri Kshethra Dharmasthala Rural Development Project (SKDRDP). Mr Salian now has access to electricity courtesy the Non-Conventional Energy Development Programme of SKDRDP.

Under this programme, he has installed a four-light solar energy system in his house.

Mr Valerian Sequera of the same village even watches his favourite programmes on Doordarshan by using the same system.

There are other people like Mr Salian and Mr Sequera who have realised the potential of non-conventional energy sources.

Launched in 1999, SKDRDP has made remarkable progress in Belthangady and Karkala taluks of Udupi district.

According to Dr L.H. Manjunath, Executive Director of SKDRDP, some 2,200 families in 81 villages of Belthangady and 600 in 40 villages of Karkala have installed four-light solar home lighting systems in their houses.

This is perhaps the largest concentration of such systems in the smallest geographical area in the country.

Arambodi, a backward village, now has solar lighting systems. In Charmadi, drawing power lines to a distance of one kilometre was a difficult task as it needed at least 10 poles that the poor villager could not afford. However, villagers there now have access to solar lighting systems.

Mr Manjunath said that the programme facilitates and encourages conservation of energy and environmental protection.

Members of SKDRDP have made this concept click in the region by having one-to-one relation with villagers.

Their ability to convince villagers on the need for non-conventional energy sources and the faith of the villagers in Sri Kshetra Dharmasthala, irrespective of their caste or religion, have helped in this concept penetrating rural areas.

A four-light solar system costs around Rs 20,000. Of this amount, the Ministry of Non-conventional Energy Sources gives Rs 5,500 as subsidy.

Dr Manjunath said that SKDRDP identifies, trains, and motivates the beneficiary to install the system.

Nationalised and co-operative banks extend loans to the beneficiaries through SKDRDP, which has a micro finance portfolio called Pragathi Nidhi through which beneficiaries will be given loans at lower rate of interest.

Selco India, the manufacturer of solar lighting units, has installed more than 2,200 solar systems under the project.

According to Mr Harish Hande, Managing Director, the concept of non-conventional energy sources has moved faster in Belthangady because of the extensive network of SKDRDP members.

"The fantastic network of the SKDRDP karyakartas has helped solar and other renewable technologies to diffuse faster."

Selco India, which has opened an office in Belthangady, gives concession for the units installed in the area because of the bulk systems involved.

An expert stated in a function recently that it was economical "not to draw power lines" to the remote areas since installation and maintenance costs are high.

SKDRDP's efforts to popularise solar lighting systems are a role model for others to popularise non-conventional energy sources in rural areas.

More Stories on : Non-conventional Energy | Karnataka

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