Abstract 1

Rural Energy, Environment & Development 

Rural India, or for that matter rural areas in developing nations have often been excluded from the energy-pie. For reasons ranging from non-affordability to high transaction costs, people in rural areas have been kept literally, in the dark. The implications of this can be clearly seen. Inhabitants of rural areas have come to depend on fuel supplies which are acquired locally (timber and other solid fuels). This has implications for the environment and its bio-diversity as people have become largely dependant on the environment for their fuel supplies which is leading to logging. Also, to use these fuel supplies, the technology which is currently in use is inefficient and outdated which brings in its own gamut of health-related problems. All these factors combined, the rural people have been thrown into a cycle of poverty and neglect – issues of non-productive activities and health-related problems have been of major concern. 

This paper aims at looking at the issues mentioned above from the point of view of every stakeholder. The intent is in particular interest on the impact of these issues on the rural population and the environment and its bio-diversity with which they are closely associated with. To find out and assess the impact of providing better energy sources through cleaner technologies, looking at the existing environmental and energy policies and possible policy revisions in the same context.  

Prayas Energy Group of Prayas, a non-profit, non-governmental organization works on policy analysis, and advocacy of energy related issues and believes that energy can be a development tool. Looking at electricity as a development tool in particular and assessing the changes in equation with respect to the relationship of rural population with their environment will form the basis of the study.