Shri R K Singh, Indian Minister of State (IC) for Power and New and Renewable Energy, inaugurated an Assembly and Distribution Centre for Solar Study Lamps at Mahuli village in Arrah. In this centre, local women Self Help Group (SHG) will assemble solar lamps and distribute them to underprivileged students who do not have access to electricity. According to the ministry, the Centre will not only provide kerosene-free affordable illumination to students, but also empower rural women with the skills to assemble, distribute and repair solar lamps.

This initiative is part of the Government of India’s scheme of providing solar study lamps in the five States Assam, Bihar, Jharkhand, Odisha and Uttar Pradesh, where rural household electrification levels are low. The students have to contribute a small amount of only INR 100 ($1.53) to buy a lamp. In Bihar, the target is to provide more than 1.8 million underprivileged students with solar lamps. Around 457.000 such lamps have already been distributed to students of the State. Singh expressed the Government’s commitment to provide 24/7 power supply to all Indians. »Every household in the country will get electricity connection by December 2018.«

Furthermore, Shri Singh laid the foundation stone for a PV module manufacturing plant in Sherghati block of Gaya district. This plant will be first of its kind in the State, and will be entirely owned and operated by local women Self Help Group Federations. Details were not disclosed.