“Million SoUL Program”

The “Million SoUL Program” has been developed by the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE) in partnership with Indian Institute of Technology Bombay (IITB). Under this program rural students will be provided with high quality, affordable clean light in the form of solar study lamp in the state of Assam. The program also focuses on ‘Localization of Solar Energy’, wherein the local people will be engaged in assembling, distribution repair and maintenance of the solar study lamp.

Assam State Rural Livelihoods Mission and “Million SoUL Program”

In Assam, a total of 5.35 lakh solar study lamps will be assembled and distributed by SHG members in selected 18 blocks. The selection of Block for the solar “Million SoUL Program” is as follows:

• Blocks with more than 50% kerosene dependent households as their main source of lighting as per census, 2011.

• The blocks in which a sizeable percentage of households dependent on kerosene as their main source of lightinging.

• Blocks with significant percentage of scheduled tribe and scheduled caste population.

Assam State Rural Livelihoods Mission (ASRLM) has constituted 18 Assembling and Distribution Centres (ADC) in 18 blocks namely Mayong, Dalgaon Sialmari, Dhakuwakhana, Pub Chaiduar, Dhekiajuli, Ujani Majuli, Sadia, Kakopathar, South Salmara, Barketri, Dangtol, Lumbajong, Ronkhang, Langsomepi, Dimoria, South Karimganj, Lala and Pather kandi. The selected SHG Members will be trained to assemble high quality solar study lamps. They will also be responsible to campaign and distribute the Solar Lamps to target beneficiaries. The involvement of SHG members in this program will not only give them a source of alternate livelihood practice but at the same time empower them as the medium of bringing light to many rural households. The scheme also envisages the lesser usage of hazardous fuel like kerosene lamps.

Benefits to SHG members

a) The SHG members get an experience in handling operations and finances of a large-scale project.

b) The SHG members get an enriching experience of managing all the operations pertaining to the assembling and distribution & after sales services of solar study lamps.

c) Members of SHG members are given technical and managerial training, which builds their capacity & confidence.

d) The SHG members take part in assembling, distribution & after sales services of the lamp; hence alternate source of livelihood is generated.

e) The children of SHG members enrolled in rural schools get an access to high quality and reliable solar powered light at a subsidized cost of Rs.100 per lamp.

f) Easy accessibility to free repair and maintenance service for a year (in the vicinity of the beneficiaries’ residence).

g) Further, these SHG members will be given an opportunity to explore the option for entrepreneurship like setting up own solar shops hence fostering entrepreneurship skills.

The SoUL lamps are sold at a subsidized rate of Rs. 100 to all School Students.

Benefits of ASRLM

The ASRLM will be responsible for the overall coordination & management of the “Million SoUL Program” that CLFs will be engaged in. The core features in which ASRLM will be engaged are as follows:

a) Capacity building of the ASRLM Mission Staff and hands-on experience of SHG members in managing a large-scale and time bound project

b) ASRLM may promote a solar lamp manufacturing plants to take the program to a higher level.

c) It will improve the quality of education which helps ASRLM to achieve its core objective of poverty alleviation.

Flow of Activities and responsibility

The following is the list of districts and block with total number of solar lamps to be assembled and distributed under the “Million SoUL Program”.