Finance Minister Arun Jaitley said during his budget speech in February 2017 that all villages will be electrified by 2018. 

If statistics from India’s central government were to be the measure, 98 per cent of India’s villages have been ‘electrified.’ If you were to rely on data from state governments, the number looks more modest. However, if the data from the governments of Bihar, Uttar Pradesh and Assam were to the yardstick, 83 per cent (Bihar), 73 per cent (Uttar Pradesh) and 63 per cent (Assam) villages are still in the dark. 

The difference is statistics at the central and state government level could perhaps be the challenge that the common man may have to face.

That is the very reason Coca-Cola India has taken upon various initiatives to bring sustainable power to villages that face such shortage. 

Coca-Cola India has been working diligently towards the larger cause of sustainable development, which is why it took yet another step towards climate protection through solar energy harnessing.  

On the occasion of World Environment Day, Coca-Cola India came together with its bottling partners to drive energy efficiency across its operations in the country, with a focus on the need for renewable energy to drive business sustainability. 

Coca-Cola India helped make Tapkan Government School in Nuh, Haryana the first school in the country to be on the solar micro-grid. The installation of solar panels that light up the entire school was done in association with global solar industry leader, SunEdison. The school has been revitalised with contributions from Tetra Pak, SRF Foundation and Enrich Agro Food Products Pvt. Ltd.

The interventions offered under this initiative have given a new lease of life to the school and to the people of the community. The new energy installation comes as a great boon to the village that has been suffering from excessive power shortage, while ensuring a clean and renewable source of energy.

These solar panels will power the classrooms through renewable energy. The uninterrupted energy supply will help empower these children for a brighter and better future. The children can now study in a more clean & conducive environment.

This is an initiative under the Coca-Cola NDTV Support My School campaign. It aims to revitalise schools in rural and semi-urban setups with facilities such as separate toilets for boys and girls, improved access to water and more. This project takes the campaign one step forward in its mission to enhance the education landscape of rural India.

Coca-Cola India provides extensive support for community programs across the country, with a focus on education, health and water conservation. Coca-Cola India also aims to manage its climate impact by using the best mix of energy sources possible, while improving the energy efficiency of its manufacturing, distribution and marketplace.

Data Reference:

http://indianexpress.com/article/india/india-news-india/electricity-in-india-villages-problems-still-no-light-poverty-3030107/

http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/industry/energy/power/budget-2017-all-villages-to-be-electrified-by-2018-says-arun-jaitley/articleshow/56917518.cms

http://www.thehindu.com/opinion/op-ed/On-paper-electrified-villages-%E2%80%94-in-reality-darkness/article14176223.ece