National 5 (Spotlight Weekly)

Power Partnership

The Indian government is set to fund solar electrification in four more villages

By A CORRESSPONDENT

India has played an important role in Nepal's modernization efforts. In the energy sector, the Indian government has provided billions of rupees to expand electrification in rural parts of the country.

Having funded the Trishuli hydro-power project, Nepal's first large plant, India also helped build the Devighat, Gandak and Kosi projects, which have expanded access to electricity in different parts of the country. As more than 85 percent of the rural population living in the hills remain outside the electricity grid, solar energy would be the best option for them.

The recent decision of the Indian government to support solar power for rural electrification is another milestone in bilateral cooperation. An agreement was signed on December 31, 2002 between the Embassy of India and the Alternative Energy Promotion Center (AEPC) under the Ministry of Science and Technology. Under the accord, India will provide a grant assistance of about NRs.54 million to extend solar photo-voltaic cell technology for rural electrification.

According to an Indian Embassy press statement, four villages will be electrified in 2002-03 under the project. These villages are Parsa district, Laghuwa Krishanpur in Sarlahi district, Arjewa in Baglung district and Semjong in Dhading district. About 1,400 homes and more than 15,000 people are expected to benefit.

Community centers, VDC offices, schools, dispensaries and public spaces will also be lighted in these villages using one of the most modern and environmentally clean technologies. Each selected home in these villages will receive a home lighting system of 75 watts consisting of four lighting instruments, a solar photo-voltaic cell Panel and a maintenance-free battery. Street lighting will also be provided in these villages to the extent feasible and 150 solar lanterns will be distributed to those people whose houses cannot be taken up for electrification.

Central Electronics Ltd. (CEL), Ghaziabad, a public sector undertaking of the Government of India, in close coordination with AEPC, will execute the project. Village consumer committees will be constituted for all stages of project execution, planning and installation. For subsequent maintenance and upkeep, a pool of six trained personnel from among the consumers will be created in each village by the CEL. The committees will also manage a corpus fund from local contributions for maintenance of the system.

In 2001-02, India provided NRs.25 million to electrify Bhadgaon Arkhale villages in Gulmi district and Sarang Danda in Panchthar district. Private parties have also been encouraged to expand rural electrification through solar energy.

India has made tremendous progress in the area of solar energy and its technology has been recognized around the world. Although the area covered by the solar electrification project is very small, it will nevertheless help modernize rural areas where people have to rely mostly on traditional energy.

UNDER ITS AID TO NEPAL program, the Government of India undertook an important road renovation project in Pokhara. Financial assistance of NRs.1.55 million was made available by India to renovate the road from Buddha Chowk to Ramghat in Pokhara. The local people, who contributed NRs. 1.64 million, were fully involved in all stages of this project. The project was executed in close coordination with the Tole Sudhar Samiti, Ram Bazar and Buddha Chowk Batabaran Samiti which played an important role in ensuring timely completion. The Department of Roads and Pokhara Sub Metro Municipal Office were responsible for technical supervision. The road was formally inaugurated by Jawed Usmani, Minister (Economic Co-operation) of the Indian Embassy, at a special ceremony organized by the local people. Senior Nepalese government officials were present on the occasion. The minister also inaugurated two drinking water projects costing NRs.350,000, which will benefit over 4,000 people, in Balewa Narayansthan village in Baglung district and in Ward No.10, Ramghat, Pokhara, according to an Indian Embassy press release.