Microfinance Focus, March 8, 2012:In North Karnataka around 100 villages has been suffering from inadequate power supply and have been facing problems due to frequent power cuts.
Farmers, Women and the students are the worst sufferers as their daily work is hampered due to shortage in power supply. It is not a new thing as it has been repeating for many years.
But now they have teamed up and got assistance from the Karnataka Vikas Grameena Bank (KVGB), according to a Business Standard report. This KVGB is one of the institutions in the banking sector in the country, which has given a ray of hope to the hapless villagers.
Harish Hande, a social entrepreneur and also winner of the Magsaysay Award, founded Selco India  a solar electric light company in 1995, which lit up to 1,20,000 households to emerge as India’s Leading Solar firm.
In 1994 KVGB associated with this SELCO company chief, who was already working on providing solar energy to the rural population. He encouraged the bank branches to issue solar finance. Now the solar finance has grossed 61.38 crore and is lighting 34,100 houses in over 100 villages.
This project is running a successfully in 38 villages of Belgaum, 13 in Bijapur and Haveri, 9 in Dharwad, Bagalkot, 7 in Uttara Kannada, 6 in Dakshin Kannada, 3 in Udupi, and 2 in Gadag.
KVGB Chairman Sambhashiva Reddy said, “Abundant Solar power combined with improved technology has resulted in production of right equipments suitable for providing light and water heaters. Encouraging was not taken seriously earlier by villagers but now we have good response to about 100 villages into solar energy now”.