Latest news with #UPSRLM
Time of India
17 hours ago
- Business
- Time of India
Powering UP: Over 1000 rural women entrepreneurs install 4 MW of solar power
Lucknow: Under the Decentralized Renewable Energy for Women's Economic Empowerment (DEWEE) programme, implemented through the Uttar Pradesh State Rural Livelihood Mission (UPSRLM), women-led self-help groups (SHGs) are adopting solar-powered technologies to run small-scale enterprises. According to officials, over 1,000 women entrepreneurs have already established solar-powered businesses under the programme, with more than 4 MW of decentralized solar energy capacity installed across participating villages. From flour mills and tailoring units to general stores and dairy operations, these initiatives are not only reducing dependency on diesel but also generating alternative income sources. The initiative, supported by a multi-stakeholder consortium, aims to integrate clean energy solutions with rural livelihood programmes, providing both technical assistance and business development support. Partners include the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE), Uttar Pradesh New and Renewable Energy Development Agency (UPNEDA), Prerna OJAS, PCI India, the Gates Foundation, HSBC, and the Global Energy Alliance for People and Planet (GEAPP). 'This programme demonstrates the potential of integrating clean energy with grassroots economic development,' said Keshav Prasad Maurya, Deputy Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh. From Pilot to Statewide Scale A significant milestone in the programme has been its implementation in Take Home Ration (THR) manufacturing units across Unnao, Varanasi, and Agra districts. These facilities, equipped with hybrid solar PV systems, recorded production efficiency of up to 82 per cent, with monthly electricity savings estimated at ₹30,000 and a reduction of approximately 21 metric tonnes of CO₂ emissions. Based on these results, the Uttar Pradesh government has approved the scale-up of solar integration to over 200 THR units, with a 90 per cent capital subsidy to encourage wider adoption. Officials note that the move is likely to contribute to more stable employment opportunities for women in SHGs. 'This is not just about energy access — it's about building enterprise viability through sustainable power ,' said Deepa Ranjan, State Mission Director, UPSRLM. National Recognition The DEWEE programme was recently highlighted in the Government of India's Economic Survey 2024–25 as a notable example of linking decentralized renewable energy (DRE) with women's economic empowerment . The recognition is expected to enable greater engagement with national policymakers and encourage replication in other states. The Road Ahead The programme has set an ambitious target of involving 1,00,000 SHG women in the decentralized green energy workforce over the coming years. This will require continued investment in skills training, stronger financial linkages, and improved market access for women-led enterprises. Officials view the initiative as a potential template for scaling clean energy adoption through community-based models, particularly in rural India, where energy access and employment remain key development priorities.
Time of India
28-07-2025
- Business
- Time of India
Vidyut Sakhis net over 11-time jump in revenue for UP
Lucknow: If revenue generation was any measure of the success of any project, then the 'Vidyut Sakhi' programme of the UP govt may well qualify to be in the spotlight. Records show that the revenue collected in the form of electricity bills by 'Vidyut Sakhis' registered more than an 11-time jump from just Rs 87 crore in 2021-22 to Rs 1,045 crore in 2024-25. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now In the first quarter of 2025-26, electricity bill collection under the ambitious programme has already reached a mark of Rs 256 crore. It is expected to soar well beyond the 2024-25 collection. Initiated during the Covid pandemic, the programme of the rural development department was projected as a key initiative to provide employment to women in rural areas. It was conceptualised at a time when rural economies were severely stressed due to reverse migration and job losses. By engaging women from rural self-help groups (SHGs) in bill collection duties, the govt not only aimed to fill a critical service delivery gap in electricity revenue realisation but also created a new income stream for women with limited access to formal employment. UP state rural livelihood mission (UPSRLM) data show that the programme consistently amplified its ambit across rural areas with revenue generation rising from Rs 87 crore in 2021-22 to Rs 262 crore in 2022-23, to Rs 466 crore in 2023-24, and eventually Rs 1,045 crore in 2024-25. In all, around 15,000 active vidyut sakhis have managed to collect revenue of over Rs 2,000 crore for the state govt to date. Close to 30,000 women are registered with the UPSRLM under the programme. Officials said that the UPSRLM trained another batch of around 14,000 women for deployment as Vidyut Sakhis. In the financial year 2024-25, the Vidyut Sakhis received about Rs 13.4 crore as commission. Moreover, they collected electricity bills worth Rs 303 crore under the OTS scheme. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now In return, they got a commission of Rs 3.5 crore. As many as 438 Vidyut Sakhis succeeded in becoming 'Lakhpati Didi', an initiative aimed at empowering women in SHGs to achieve an annual household income of Rs 1,00,000 or more. Experts said that it was not just about the financial aspect but also about enabling sustainable livelihoods and a better standard of living for these women. The initiative encourages women to adopt various income-generating activities and provides them with the necessary support and resources. The over 11 times increase in revenue recovery, experts said, illustrated two takeaways: scalability and efficiency of the model, and trust and reach of Vidyut Sakhis within their communities.
Time of India
07-07-2025
- Business
- Time of India
UP govt releases Rs 70 crore for infusing entrepreneurship amongst SC/ST youth
Lucknow: In a Dalit-centric move, the state govt has formally released a sum of around Rs 70 crore for skill development and infusing entrepreneurship amongst SC/ST groups under the UP State Rural Livelihood Mission (UPSRLM) for the 2025-26 fiscal. The sum comprises a 60% share from the Centre (Rs 47.64 crore) and 40% from the state govt (Rs 31.73 crore). In a communique, the state rural development department stated that the rural development commissioner and mission director of the UPSRLM will be responsible for actual ground-level verification of the achieved goals. The two officials will also ensure the issuance of utility certificates upon completion of the project. A senior official in the UPSRLM said that the budget will help the department in its bid to augment the SC/ST groups through training and other measures. Experts believe that the allocation was a clear policy step toward the economic inclusion of Dalits, who have historically faced structural and social disadvantages. By focusing on skill training and entrepreneurship, the govt is attempting to push the narrative of self-reliance and job creation within the socially disadvantaged communities. Being routed through UPSRLM, the initiative links directly to rural empowerment. This includes enhanced non-farm employment opportunities in villages, encouragement of micro-enterprise development, and reduced dependency on traditional or subsistence livelihoods. The Centre-state funding split (60:40) reflects effective cooperative governance, especially in social welfare programmes. It also signals continued Central govt support for inclusive rural development. Nevertheless, the real impact depends on the execution of the scheme. Experts said that the success of this initiative will rely on a number of factors, including the quality and relevance of training modules, market linkages for entrepreneurs, reduction in bureaucratic delays or fund leakages, and inclusion of women and youth within the Dalit community. Analysts said that the development also holds political significance in the run-up to the panchayat polls due next year.
Hindustan Times
10-06-2025
- Business
- Hindustan Times
‘Over 17L women become Lakhpati Didis in Uttar Pradesh'
The first meeting of the state-level coordination committee (SLCC), constituted under the Lakhpati Didi programme, was held under the chairmanship of chief secretary Manoj Kumar Singh on Monday. Praising the efforts of the programme in empowering women and making them financially self-reliant, he called for expanding the 'Didi ki Rasoi' initiative and 'Prerna Canteens' not only in schools but also in industrial areas. He also emphasised better coordination among departments to enhance the impact of the programme. Mission director of Uttar Pradesh State Rural Livelihood Mission (UPSRLM), Deepa Ranjan, presented key achievements during the meeting. She informed that as many as 17.09 lakh women had become Lakhpati Didis so far. Revolving funds have been provided to 7.17 lakh self-help groups (SHGs), while 5.74 lakh SHGs have received community investment funds. Additionally, bank loans have been extended to 7.26 lakh SHGs. Key interventions include, 49,800 women linked to integrated farming clusters (IFCs),5,000 involved in beekeeping, 2,500 in sericulture, and 2,000 in fish farming, 20,000 women selected under the One Lakh Women Entrepreneurs (DA) initiative, 30,100 Vidyut Sakhis and 39,779 BC Sakhis onboarded, 30,561 small entrepreneurs nurtured under the SHG-based village entrepreneurship programme (SVEP), 20,000 women connected to Prerna Ojas solar-based initiatives,2.64 lakh women benefited through 5 dairy producer companies and 1.80 lakh women linked to Producer Groups (PGs) and 23,509 to farmer producer organisations (FPOs) Additionally, 1.25 lakh women are benefiting from Take Home Ration (THR) plants, and 8,929 SHG Didis have been linked to micro food processing enterprises under the PM-FME scheme. The state aims to raise the annual household income of 28.92 lakh SHG members to over ₹1 lakh by the financial year 2026-27.
Time of India
09-06-2025
- Business
- Time of India
Over 17L get status of ‘lakhpati didis'
Lucknow: In Uttar Pradesh , 17.09 lakh women were declared 'Lakhpati Didis' under a Central govt programme. The data was released at the first meeting of the state-level coordination committee of the Lakhpati Didi programme on Monday chaired by chief secretary Manoj Kumar Singh. UPSRLM mission director Deepa Ranjan said that revolving funds were provided to 7.17 lakh self-help groups and community investment funds were given to 5.74 lakh SHGs. Bank loans were made available to 7.26 lakh SHGs. She added that 49,800 didis are being connected to the integrated farming cluster while 5,000 didis are being linked to beekeeping, 2,500 to sericulture and 2,000 to fish farming. Another 20,000 didis were selected for the one lakh women entrepreneurs initiative. She also revealed that 30,100 electricity sakhis and 39,779 banking correspondent sakhis were onboarded. Under the SHG entrepreneurship development programme, 30,561 small entrepreneurs were developed. Additionally, 20,000 didis were linked to Prerna Ojas. Another 2.64 lakh didis benefitted through five dairy producer companies. A total of 1,80,288 didis were connected to producer groups and 23,509 didis to farmer producer organizations. The official added that 1.25 lakh are benefitting through the take home ration plant. Another 8,929 didis were connected to PM's Formalisation of Micro Food Processing Enterprises (PMFME).
