Karnataka Vikas Grameen Bank (KVG Bank), a Dharwad-based regional rural bank, has made rapid progress in converting villages to complete ‘solar villages'. “We are going to shortly declare the 100th village. To mark this event, we will be declaring Devagiri, near Dharwad as a complete solar village,” Mr C. Sambasiva Reddy, Chairman of KVG Bank, told Business Line .

“In the 13 north Karnataka districts, the bank has also converted 112 of the 500 branches to be dependent on ‘solar-power'. The branches run entirely on solar energy and thereby chances of disruption in services because of a break-down in power supply can be almost totally avoided, thus helping to provide timely service to the rural customers,” he added.

In the current financial year (2011-12), KVG Bank installed 5,000 solar lighting units and disbursed Rs 9 crore. In the heating segment, 2,800 solar water-heaters, costing Rs 7 crore have been disbursed.

Lighting, heating

Since 1994, the bank has installed 34,100 solar lighting units worth Rs 61.38 crore and 6,387 solar water-heaters costing Rs 17.95 crore. In the previous year (2010-11) the bank spent Rs 20 crore on installing around 5,000 solar lighting units.

Mr Gupta said: “For the solar mission, the bank first associated with Dr Harish Hande, the Magsaysay awardee in the field of solar energy as back as 1994.

He was bubbling with energy to implement ideas and concepts for the benefit of rural people. It was here that KVG Bank showed confidence, encouraged him in his endeavours and got involved in funding solar installations.”

To provide solar lighting and solar water-heaters to un-electrified rural homes in the State, six nationalised banks and RRBs had installed about one lakh systems at the cost Rs 200 crore at the end of December 31, 2011.

anil.u@thehindu.co.in

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