By Dipanjan Roy Chaudhury, KUNA
New Delhi : India will soon undertake solar electrification of villages in other countries of South Asia as part of its development initiative.
The initiative involve providing electrification to houses and streets in villages indentified for the purpose, a source in Indian External Affairs Ministry told KUNA here Monday.
“Indias Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) will supervise the entire programme. It has invited tenders for the purpose,” the source informed. Initially, one village will be selected for electrification in seven member states of South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) — Pakistan, Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Nepal, Sri Lanka, Bhutan and Maldives. India is the biggest country of SAARC.
“The programme will involve supplying and commissioning of about 2,100 Solar Home Lighting Systems and 350 solar street lighting systems, and about 300 homes and 50 street lighting systems in each village. In each of the seven countries, the MEA will identify three villages, from which one village will be taken up for electrification in the initial phase,” the source said.
The firm winning the tender would have to supply, install and commission the solar home systems and solar street lighting systems and also provide maintenance support.
The Solar Home Lighting System comprises a Special Purpose Vehicle of 40 watt power and a storage battery of 12 volts. The Solar Street Lighting System will operate during all seasons.