LAKHIMPUR KHERI: The Union Ministry of New and Renewable Energy is likely to distribute over 34 lakh solar lamps to school children in power deficit districts of Uttar Pradesh from December 22.
The Solar Urja through Localisation for Sustainability (SoULS) project in association with the Indian Institute of Technology, Bombay, was started on September 19.
Lakhimpur Kheri is a major beneficiary of the project, where more than one lakh solar lamps are to be assembled and distributed among the rural students of Pallia, Nighasan and Lakhimpur blocks, UP project manager of IIT-Bombay Shailendra Dwivedi said.
"Apart from benefiting the students, the project would provide employment to women of self-help groups of these blocks, who have started assembling the solar lamps from December 15 after receiving training by experts of IIT- Bombay," Dwivedi added.
The self-help group members assembling and distributing the solar lamps would earn Rs 12 to Rs 17 per unit, Ajay Pandey, deputy commissioner of the National Rural Livelihood Mission (NRLM), said.