After the successful implementation of the BC Sakhi and Vidyut Sakhi initiatives, the Yogi Adityanath government has launched a new effort to further strengthen women’s empowerment in Uttar Pradesh. Under this initiative, one Surya Sakhi will be appointed in each of the state’s 57,000+ gram panchayats.
To facilitate this, enterprises established by millions of women under the Uttar Pradesh State Rural Livelihood Mission (UPSRLM) will now be integrated with distributed renewable energy (DRE) products. In the first phase, 10,000 enterprises will be linked to solar-based technologies, creating new avenues for sustainable employment for women.
UPSRLM Director Deepa Ranjan pointed out that women’s self-help groups have set up millions of small businesses across the state and now these businesses will be connected to distributed renewable energy products such as solar-powered flour mills, water pumps, dryers, freezers, cold storage units, food processing machines, bio-fuel-based solar systems, and milk chillers. In the first phase, 10,000 enterprises will be linked to these solar technologies.
To support women in the solar energy sector, UPSRLM has also launched a company called Prerna Ojas, which will train women in solar product manufacturing, solar shops, clean cooking and other related businesses.
Additionally, in collaboration with the Uttar Pradesh New and Renewable Energy Development Agency (UPNEDA), the government has introduced the Surya Sakhi programme. Under this initiative, one Surya Sakhi will be appointed in each of the state’s 57,702 gram panchayats to promote renewable energy solutions and women’s empowerment.
UPNEDA Director Anupam Shukla stated that DRE products will provide greater self-employment opportunities for rural women. Over the next three years, the Prerna Ojas initiative aims to create jobs for one lakh women, Shukla added.
He mentioned that under this plan, one Surya Sakhi will be appointed in each of the 57,702 gram panchayats across the state to establish solar-based enterprises, ensuring livelihood opportunities. Additionally, 18 solar product manufacturing units will be set up in each division, and a total of 3,304 solar shops will be opened across 826 blocks.
The implementation of this project is being actively supported by PCI, with international organisations such as the Gates Foundation, HSBC and the Global Energy Alliance for People and Planet also contributing. The programme will be executed through cluster level federation (CLF) to ensure an effective and large-scale impact. Women self-help groups under UPSRLM will collaborate with Prerna Ojas for on-ground execution.
Over the next three years, one lakh women will be integrated into the solar energy sector through DRE products, providing them with employment opportunities. This initiative will not only help rural women become self-reliant but also give them a new identity as ‘Solar Didis’.
A well-structured strategy is being developed to implement DRE technology at the grassroots level, ensuring women’s active participation in the solar energy sector. By empowering women and promoting green energy, UP is set to become a model for women’s empowerment and sustainable development across the country.
