Dungarpur Initiative

The Dungarpur initiative under the SoULS Initiative started in 2016 was implemented through forging partnership with the Cluster Level Federations (CLFs) of women formed under Rajeevika and Dungarpur District Administration. The four CLFs with whom the partnership was formed were Antri, Biladi, Jhontri, and Punali.

The initiative combined energy access, livelihood generation, and skill, knowledge, and technology transfer, by involving the local community of tribal women.

OBJECTIVE

Providing solar study lamp to school students and thus ensuring reliable light for the study purpose

Making solar lamps available for the purchase to mothers of these students as well, in order to to aid them in performing domestic tasks.

Empowering women through skill and knowledge transfer of solar technology and creating livelihood through it

Execution

Dungarpur Initiative contributed towards accomplishing the provisioning of solar energy for lighting requirements in one of the most marginalized, energy poor and geographically isolated regions of the country.

136 Women Trained

40,000 Solar Lamps Distributed

5 Solar repair centers, with 16 Sakhis established across all 4 Clusters

5 Shops Opened

Meet Our Board Members

The company spread over 27,000 sq.ft of land, has an installed capacity of 2MWp with state of the art equipment and machines which make all standard as well as custom designed solar panels ranging for 1Wp to 100 Wp modules.

Mrs. Dhanu Devi Pargi

Director, Management, Antri - Dungarpur

Mrs. Seeta Parmar

Director, Management, Dungarpur - Punali

Mrs. Laxmi Parmar

Director, Management, Dungarpur - Biladi

Prof. Chetan Singh Solanki

Independent Director, Management, IIT, Bombay

Mrs. Rukamni Devi Katara

CEO, DURGA energy, Dungarpur

Partners

IIT Bombay has gained significant experience in empowering rural entrepreneurs and local communities as part of its SoUL project while distributing a million solar lamps and capacity building for its repair and maintenance. IIT Bombay is also open sourcing its solar lamp hardware which will be further extended to other solar components as well. This would ensure local communities have access to research and technology at all times. Together with its capacity building strength and vast technical knowledge resource IIT Bombay will assist the initial set up of the local unit and associated eco-system.

Nagar Parishad, Dungarpur has played a pivotal role in setting up DURGA. They have developed 27000 sq.ft of land by doing all the necessary civil work for setting up DURGA.

The district administration of Dungarpur is mobilizing the funds for setting up DURGA. They have provided 37% of the total funds required for setting up the manufacturing unit. Besides this, they have also given necessary administrative support in acquiring the land, obtaining necessary government permissions, and getting clearance on water, electricity and labor laws.

Corporate social responsibility (CSR) is textured in Aditya Birla group’s value system. The CSR division of Idea cellular is one of the funding partners. They have provided approximately 30% of the total funds required for setting up DURGA.

Rajeevika has provided around 8% of the funds required for setting up DURGA. They have also promoted CLFs (Cluster Level Federations) whose members are the shareholders of DURGA. Rajeevika has also supported in all the ground preparation, monitoring activities and Liasoning with the local bodies.

Through the tribal area development fund (TADF), tribal area development department has provided 37% of the total funds required for running DURGA.

Clients