Project Activities

Project Level

1. Formation and strengthening of Village level CES Forum (VCES):

In order to sustain the impact of the project post funding, community based organizations, the Village level CES forum will be formed at the project areas. Women and students will be motivated to form such groups and raise their voice for access to CES. Formation of VCES will help in promotion of CES at village level and will also help in building a collective voice on CES issues at the regional level. Interventions will initially focus on awareness raising and sensitization of these groups, which will gradually take a catalytic role in monitoring of CES schemes and programs and services provided by the Government/ private sector and ensure basic rights to CES in their villages. VCES will also play the role of pressure Groups to pressurize the various service providers to ensure that Government programmes and schemes are implemented and quality standards are ensured. VCES will also be engaged in dialogue with people’s representatives and other duty bearers on CES, and will ensure that communities avail all the CES related Government schemes.
VCESs will be formed and strengthened initially at intensive project villages through regular village visits of the project staff. VCES meetings will be held on a monthly basis in each intensive villages, in which the groups will get inputs, review their progress and plan their future actions. These village level VCESs will again be federated to form Block-level CES forums in four intensive blocks in order to create a stronger collective voice. Block-level VCES forum will lobby and advocate with Government officials at the block and district level.

2. Conduct Panchayat Level Networking workshop with PRI Members:

Panchayati Raj Institutions (PRIs) introduced under the 73rd Amendment Act of the Constitution of India are important elements of local self-governance in India. PRIs include – Gram Sabha and Gram Panchayat (At village level), Mandal Parishad or Block Samiti or Panchayat Samiti (At block level), and Zila Parishad (At district level). As per the Constitution, Panchayats in their respective areas prepare plans for economic development and social justice and also execute them. Apart from grants received from the Government under the recommendation of the Finance Commission, Panchayats receive schematic funds for implementation of rural development schemes (MGNREGS, BRGF, IAY etc.). They can also raise revenue by imposing taxes, fees, penalties etc. as per rule of the state. They have been given significant duties, powers and responsibilities for development purposes.
As an important strategy for success, the action will engage with the PRI members through regular meetings with project staff and CES forum members. The project staff and VCES members will collaborate closely with the PRI members and also involve them in project meetings, trainings, workshops, consultations and other events. In order to orient them about the project progress and help them own the action interventions and outcomes, customized trainings and workshops will be organized for them on the issues, needs and benefits related to CES. They will be shown the latest technologies and demonstrations on CES and would be encouraged to include them in their planning with subsequent budget allocations.

3. Formation and strengthening of Block Level CES (BCES) Forum

4 Block level CES forums will be established in the intensive project areas to promote, advocate and lobby for CES. BCES forums will be engaged in strengthening and supporting CES activities in project villages, building collective actions, disseminating IEC material, sensitising and capacitating various duty bearers and stakeholders at the block level. They will be capacitated to network and promote joint campaigns that advocate and lobby for CES. Quarterly Block level programs and events will be organized.

4. Formation of District level CES (DCES) Network

District level CES network will be formed by LEADS, Vikas Bharti and World Vision in their respective project districts with support from ICCO in the first year of the project. 4 District CES Networks will engage in awareness and promotion of CES issues, needs and benefits with relevant multi-stakeholders at district level including the Government, CSOs, private sector organisations, MFIs, NGOs and CSR foundations Annual district level programs will be organised in each district to sensitize the stakeholders to advocate , lobby and collaborate on CES at the district level. A core committee of eminent people from various stakeholders will be formed who will further take up the learnings, possible joint actions and advocacy issues to larger platforms.

5. Organize Street Plays and dramas

Street plays and dramas are effective methods of spreading the message and creating awareness on issues of clean energy in the rural areas. The project staff and local artists along with communication experts will design and develop script of the street plays with key messages that need to be spread during different project periods. They will spread message on the CES issues, need and benefits of clean energy, adversity and health issues due to usage of kerosene and other traditional energy sources for lighting and cooking, and schemes and programs of Government related to CES in the rural areas, etc. The street plays will be performed by groups of local artists from the area who will perform songs, drama and role plays related to CES. This will be conducted in central and key places within the village like- village meeting points, Market area, bus stands, hospitals, local fairs and festivals etc.

6. Organize wall-writings on CES issues in extensive and intensive villages

The action will organize wall writings to spread the message on CES issues, needs and benefits of clean energy, adversity and health issues of people using kerosene and wood for day to day lighting and cooking, schemes and programs of Government related to CES in the rural areas, etc. The action intends to reach out to all the project villages through wall writings in strategic locations like village meeting points, bus stands, market area, hospitals, schools where maximum visibility could be ensured

7. Establish Nodal Manufacturing and Skill Training Centre

The field consultations have shown that one of the fundamental reasons for extreme poverty and backwardness in rural Jharkhand communities is due to low access to basic amenities and infrastructure, including clean energy options. Communities are yet to understand their rights to clean energy and, CSOs on the other hand need to be capacitated on the right ways to advocate for the availability, accessibility and affordability of CES in rural area. Though there are several Government schemes and polices in place for CES promotion, lack of understanding of the rural population on the technical know-how of the products/solutions and inadequate concerted efforts from CSOs to lower that gap has inhibited the development of the sector.
The Action “RACE” recognizes that there is a huge potential for CES promotion, and little is being done to generate local demand and to meet this demand. Under the RACE project, the nodal manufacturing and skill training centre will be opened in each district (Khunti, Gumla, Simdega & Ranchi) for CSOs to build an understanding towards the CES technology and for live demonstration to take these solutions in environmentally and economically sustainable manner. In the first three years, the action will have a strong focus on building an understanding on CES and also to empower the CSOs and local communities about their rights to use CES in their daily routine life. One centre in each district will be established in the 4th year of the project to demonstrate and train rural youth & CSOs. These centres will build the technical capacities of rural communities especially CSOs and will showcase different clean energy technologies available in the market with associated entrepreneurship model. These centres will be equipped with the following CES:
• Manufacturing facility of solar panel
• Manufacturing facility of Biomass Briquettes
• Manufacturing & Assembly unit of energy efficient cook stoves
• Rural Spark Energy Kits
• Solar Home lighting system
• Biogas Digester Plant
7.a) Manufacturing facility of solar panel
Under the India National Solar Mission, 100 GW installed capacity is to be achieved by 2022. For this, major focus is on centralized Grid-Tied or off-grid solar power plants through various MNRE (Ministry of New & Renewable Energy, Government of India) schemes. But the issues related to accessibility and affordability in rural areas is still there because of large investments size and poor infrastructure.
The proposed manufacturing facility of solar panel can make decentralized generation of solar energy and address the above mentioned problems effectively. Originally, based on a Japanese technology, micro- solar panel laminator can make solar panels in rural setting with limited resources. Two machines would be installed in energy centres at district level, one in Gumla & second unit in Khunti. The machine would make 3 to 4 number of panels in a day with panel capacity of 3Wp.
Through trainings, CSOs and rural youth will be able to manufacture their own panels and sell locally. This technology has the potential to make smaller panels available at cheaper prices. . Moreover, it imparts a key technical skill-set to CSOs/rural youth/women and provides a livelihood opportunity. This novel approach of democratizing solar energy will drastically improve access to clean energy across thousands of villages in Jharkhand.
7. b) Manufacturing facility of Biomass Briquettes
Majority of the rural communities are dependent on forest firewood for cooking and heating and kerosene for lighting. As there is an abundant agri-waste and biomass available in the rural areas, it can be utilized to make a cleaner and efficient fuel for cooking and heating purpose.
The proposed manufacturing facility of biomass briquettes can make biomass briquettes (cooking/heating fuel) from waste biomass available locally. The biomass briquette manufacturing includes agricultural wastes, forestry residues, all kinds of dry and wet waste materials as well as domestic biomass waste binding with charcoal powder, each of which can be served as a fuel for powerful steam and heat generators. These briquettes can be used at household level or at commercial level like small restaurants, diary, and shops for heating purpose.
Four machines would be installed at energy centre in each district level i.e. Gumla, Khunti, Simdega and Ranchi. The machine will run on 5hp motor with a manufacturing capacity of 300kg/hour
The rural youth will get an exposure to the manufacturing, marketing and supply chain for biomass briquetting, which will in turn build their understanding on the technology and also support the entrepreneurship model for its long term sustainability.
7.c) Manufacturing & Assembly unit of energy efficient cook stoves
The rural marginalized communities of Jharkhand state continue to use traditional stoves for everyday cooking and space heating. This not only poses a threat to the health of the family members that use them, but is also an environmental and economic burden as forest resources are depleted for these fuel options.
Manufacturing and assembly unit of energy efficient cook stoves will be established in each district at energy centres to demonstrate the technology and to imparting skills training and capacity building. The proposed energy efficient cook stoves will have natural draft technology made by clay/mud. The stove design would have 2 burners and chimney which would increase efficiency by 25%. CSOs and rural youth will be able to manufacture and assemble the tailored cook stove designs as per the demand in the rural community.
Rural Spark Energy Kits
The Rural Spark Energy Kit is a high clean energy solution for rural area to access electricity. The local communities can become Local Energy Suppliers by selling the energy to their fellow villagers, becoming resilient entrepreneurs. Each Rural Spark kit comprises of 1 PV solar panel (40Wp), 1 Router, 1 Energy Cube, 2 Wired LED bulbs, 12 solar lamps. Two kits will be installed in each centre to demonstrate the associated entrepreneurship model around it. This kit enables local youth to start their clean energy business in their own way. The clean (solar) energy charges the lamps and cube through router, which can be distributed among the fellow villagers on daily rental basis. Local community can come back to local entrepreneurs to recharge the lamps and energy cube by paying a nominal cost. This solution is currently used by small street vendors for lighting in the evening business hours. Training of rural communities on marketing and operation of rural spark kit can give long term sustainability to the business model and can also provide increased livelihood opportunities in an environment friendly manner.
7.d) Solar Home Lighting System
The Government of India is promoting solar home lighting system in rural areas under the Jawaharlal Nehru National Solar Mission (JNNSM). One unit of solar home lighting system approved by MNRE will be installed in each centre to demonstrate its benefits. The solar home lighting system comprises of solar panel, 2 LED bulbs, 1 table fan, and mobile charging port with a battery back-up of 8-12 hours. The centre will also connect the CSOs and local youth with MNRE approved channel partner to purchase, install and commission solar home lighting system in their households. Interested individuals/self-help groups/CBOs will be connected to private sector organizations to receive trainings on marketing and sales of solar home lighting systems in rural area.
7.e) Biogas Digester Plant:
The present system of solid waste treatment is done mainly through dumping of waste in the dumping yard. Even though the Government of India has recently launched Swatch Bharat Abhiyaan at national level, there are very little means in rural area for treatment of solid waste. The action will therefore install small unit of biogas digester at each centre to demonstrate the waste treatment and disposal process in an environmental friendly manner. The technology will also help the rural families to meet their cooking fuel needs and organic manure needs for agriculture.
The CSOs of the selected areas will be able to implement the technology in their existing SHG (Self Help Group) networks. The financial subsidy can also be accessed by the Government after implementing 100 units in the rural area.