MNRE sanctions 20,000 Solar Lanterns for flood affected people of Uttarakhand.
The
Ministry of New and Renewable Energy has sanctioned central financial
assistance of Rs. 4.4 crores for the distribution of 20,000 solar
lanterns to the people in the flood affected areas of Uttarakhand. The
Ministry will be meeting the full cost of solar lanterns to be
distributed. Each lantern costs approximately Rs. 2200. This project
will be implemented by the Uttarakhand Renewable Energy Development
Agency, Dehradun.
Immediately after the calamity that struck the Himalayan state on June
15, Union Minister for New & Renewable Energy, Dr. Farooq Abdullah
instructed his Ministry to enquire from the Government of Uttarakhand
about the ways in which the Ministry could help the affected people. The
Ministry, in turn, upon receiving a request from the Government of
Uttarakhand for providing Solar Lanterns issued its in principle,
approval for the same, immediately.
These solar lanterns would provide lights in the far-flung and badly
affected areas which have been totally cut-off from the grid and where
the extension/repair of grid lines would take several months. These
would help the villagers to not only complete their normal works after
dusk but also keep off wild animals from their habitat.
The Ministry has been meeting 100% funding for distribution of solar
lanterns to the natural calamity/ disaster affected people in different
parts of the country. The Ministry had earlier provided for the full
cost for 14000 solar lanterns for Aila affected people in West Bengal
during 2009-10; 1000 solar lanterns in Leh during 2010-11 to people of
flash flood affected areas and 14,900 solar lanterns in Sikkim during
2011-12 to the earth quake affected people.
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