Jharkhand Alternative Development Forum (Jharkhand Vaikalpik Vikas Manch) P. P. Verma, 60, Booty Road, Ranchi-834009 Phone: 0651-2541092 LIGHTING UP A DARK VILLAGE IN RURAL INDIA The Ground Reality Did you know that 68% of India's population lives in its villages and most of them have not seen any electric light to this day and age? All promises of rural electrification by the various governments of the day have remained only on paper and why not? Most towns and cities in India do not have guaranteed 24-hour power supply throughout the year. How then can we expect the villages to receive the much wanted and needed power? The answer therefore lies in creating small village size power units run and maintained by the villagers themselves who can also meet its operating cost. These micro power generating units can be thermal, hydro, solar, bio-gas, wind or any non-conventional energy source. The Micro-thermal Power Plant A successful micro-thermal power unit of 4 KW has been installed in a small remote village of Jharkhand State in India which is capable of generating electricity for upto 40 households in the area. This village in a forest habitat had not seen a light bulb burning in the area since Edison discovered electricity. India gained its independence but the village continued to live forgotten in the darkness. The micro-thermal power unit installed in the village on November 15, 2008 brought light for the first time on the joyous faces of its tribal inhabitants. This is real development which starts from the bottom up and whose keys are in the hands of the villagers themselves. How much does it cost? Since the villagers themselves meet the expenses of operating and maintaining the plant (about Rs. 200/- per household per month), the only requirement to make the dream a reality is the capital cost of the equipment. We have found that a 10KW plant required for 100 households in a village is the ideal size and this costs Rs. 1,25,000/- only (US $2,500/-). Invitation to Participate By donating Rs. 1,25,000/- (US $2,500/-), you become the PATRON of that village for time immemorial. The village in its gratitude will put up your portrait in the village and suitable declaration will be made regarding your donation towards the successful lighting up the darkness of ages. You will be invited to inaugurate the plant and a timeless relationship will be established between you and the village. Of course, the immense satisfaction of having done something very noble and worthwhile cannot be put in words. Come and join us in this valuable effort to regenerate a new India! |