Bio-fuel run plant electrifies Chhattisgarh village

New Delhi, Feb 8 (UNI) The remote Chhattisgarh village of Ranidehra has dispelled its darkness by producing electricity out of its own resources.

The village, which is in Kawardha district of the state, has set up a stand-alone power plant which runs on vegetable oil extracted from seeds of Jatropha plants.

The project is funded by the UK Government's Global Opportunities Fund (GOF) and is implemented by Winrock International India (WII).

A Village Energy Committee (VEC) has been set up to manage the operation of the power unit, distribution of electricity and the collection of revenues.

The VEC has leveraged co-financing from the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy to meet its capital expenses.

This pilot, decentralised distributed generation power plant project in Chhattisgarh, using bio-fuel as a clean and affordable energy source, will serve as a demonstration model for the other 25,000 remote Indian villages where it is not feasible to extend the power grid.

The project was inaugurated by Dr Raghuvansh Prasad Singh, Union Minister for Rural Development here last evening.

Speaking on the occasion British High Commissioner to India Sir Richard Stagg said the project assumed great significance against a background of efforts to address energy security in a country like India.

''We hope the venture inspires other villages to emulate its success,'' he said.

''The UK firmly believes that bio-fuels can make an important contribution to the reduction of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions.

This village electrification project based on Jatropha oil has brought visible change to the lives of the villagers and raised their overall quality of living,'' said Sir Richard.

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