A Bright Future: How Enterprising Rural Women Can Light Up India’s Smart Villages!

 

As India’s growth engine chugs on, rural India still is the heart of the country, accounting for around 69 percent of the total population. While the overall economy is growing at the rate of seven percent, rural India still lags behind.

The absence of amenities like electricity, potable water and sanitation are a few of the major factors impeding rural productivity and the subsequent economic growth.

Nearly 300 million people living in rural India are still using primitive sources of energy like kerosene and wood-fired stoves, which expose them to life-threatening diseases and exacerbate environmental problems.

Solar Intervention

Solar power, a renewable and clean source of energy, could fuel rural India’s growth. With a drastic drop in the capital costs and efficiency improvements, solar energy is now a viable alternative for the power-starved individual households and small businesses of rural India.

Where irregular power supply hampers productivity, solar energy could help bridge the infrastructure gaps and improve the social, economic and health indicators. It has potential in the rural and remote sectors since the economics involved in installing the off-grid system caters to the energy needs of the community. It is significantly less expensive than setting up a conventional power distribution system.

As India looks to cut its dependence on fossil fuels for power generation, it is striving to make solar the focal point of its switch to renewable energy. India doubled its installed solar capacity from 10 gigawatts to 20 gigawatts in 2017.

The government declared 2019 as the year for every Indian household to get electricity. Under the Saubhagya scheme, the government has given more emphasis on encouraging distributed solar power. Through the easy deployment of decentralised solar power, the end-user is brought closer to the source of the generation which impacts the rural population directly.

For example, the solar micro-grids system from G.R.I.D. Pvt. Ltd., is helping households and small businesses gain easy access to clean drinking water and cheap electricity.

With this, G.R.I.D. is not only addressing the health and energy needs of people but is also generating employment. It further helps create awareness about green energy through various campaigns resulting in changing the overall ecosystem of the communities.

Earlier, these systems were funded by government-backed programmes, but now even the private players are dominating the market which underlines the economic viability of this sector.

Creating Women Entrepreneurs

Women play a pivotal role in the rural communities and have always emerged as the pillars of the rural economy due to their total involvement with agriculture, cattle care, and other domestic activities. However, they lack the powers of decision-making, economy and choice when it comes to selecting the means of lighting and cooking.

Women and children are also most susceptible to the harmful effects of unclean fuels used for lighting, cooking etc.

Solar energy interventions in rural areas help in bringing about gender parity by creating women entrepreneurs to lead a solar power revolution in rural India. The overall outcome of distributed renewable energy like solar lighting, home solar systems or mini-grids has a direct impact on women.

By tapping the potential of Self-Help Groups operated by Village Level Entrepreneurs in the rural areas, the energy sector is helping women become pioneers of clean energy. Women entrepreneurs support rural communities to take constructive steps to improve the quality of the environment, adopt clean energy products and services, operate and recharge community water sources and promote agricultural best practices to improve their long-term resilience to climate change.

Solar powering education

Inadequate infrastructure in rural areas and constant power outages in grid-connected areas prevents students from learning in optimal conditions. Further, students lack access to modern information technology which is crucial for educational and economic empowerment.

Solar energy has the potential to power the education system in rural areas by providing adequate electricity as well as access to education. It helps in improving the living standards of rural households through solar energy-based interventions and learning facilities in the underserved community.

Underqualified teachers also get proper training to become skilled trainers in solar computer labs. With easy access to electricity through solar energy, new avenues of self-learning by digital content have opened up for the students.

Even the uses of solar energy in urban schools have enormous incentive, not just to save money by reducing electricity bills, but also to create better learning opportunities in school.

It is vital that students understand the environmental challenges we face this century. In this regard, schools can serve as agents of sustainability and cornerstones of green initiatives that benefit their community. With solar

systems, students can gain first-hand experience on learning how the sun’s energy is converted to electricity and solar installations can be integrated into a school’s technology programmes to improve the overall education system.

The bottom line

Increase in access to energy is crucial for development in rural parts of India. However, to have a holistic approach towards development of the community, it is essential that the energy access should not be limited to electrification and should be focused towards enabling the community through its use.

In these areas, even access to a small amount of electricity could be a game changer and can provide the first step out of poverty by providing new skills, creating more entrepreneurs and source of income. This also leads to improvements in health, access to clean drinking water, education, communications and digitisation.

Hence, it can be said that solar interventions can create sustainable energy pockets which enhance the overall ecosystem of the community.

When the National Solar Mission was launched in 2010, the cost of solar power was INR 17 per unit in comparison to a latest bid of INR 2.44 per unit. This has been made possible by competitive tariff-based bidding that SECI, State and Central Government have undertaken through tenders.

 

What is solar power?

A power generation method that converts energy from the sun into electricity. It uses solar panels that are often arranged on a building or concentrated in solar farms to facilitate a reaction that converts sun’s light radiation into electricity.

 

How do solar panels work?

Photovoltaic cells in a solar panel turn sunlight into direct current electricity (DC). Then, an inverter converts the DC electricity into alternating current electricity (AC), and once this process has taken place, the electricity is used, fed into the grid or stored in a battery

 

Are solar panels expensive?

The cost depends on the number of panels and how/where they are installed, but generally, solar power is becoming more affordable every year. Solar power is the crucial future production method in the move to clean energy, and as economies of scale drive prices down, its importance will only increase.

 

When was solar energy first used in India?

1961

It was during the 3rd FYP (1961–66) of India that solar energy was discussed as a technology being developed World over as a source of electricity generation. The electricity generation capacity commissioned during this FYP was 10170 MW through Thermal, Hydro and Diese

 

Who discovered solar energy?

Edmond Becquerel

1839 – Discovery of the Solar Photovoltaic Effect

In 1839, a French physicist named Edmond Becquerel, only 19 years old at the time, discovered that there is a creation of voltage when a material is exposed to light. Little did he know that his discovery would lay the foundation for solar power.

 

When was solar power first used?

1954

1954 Photovoltaic technology is born in the United States when Daryl Chapin, Calvin Fuller, and Gerald Pearson develop the silicon photovoltaic (PV) cell at Bell Labs—the first solar cell capable of converting enough of the sun’s energy into power to run everyday electrical equipment

 

Which is known as India’s first solar village?

Dharnai

In 2014, Dharnai in Jehanabad, Bihar became the country’s first solar powered village.

 

Which city is known as solar city in India?

Anandpur Sahib

Anandpur Sahib in Punjab will soon become the first solar city of India. The project is being implemented by the Punjab Energy Development Agency (PEDA) through the promotion and development of non-conventional energy sources in Anandpur Sahib

 

Which is the biggest solar power plant in India?

Kamuthi Solar Power Project

The Kamuthi Solar Power Project occupies 2,500 acres and can supply energy for about 150,000 homes in Tamil Nadu. This plant was built and funded by Adani power, a company which was founded in 1996 as an energy trading company, and is now India’s largest private energy company.

 

Where was the first solar power plant in India?

Amritsar

Union Minister of New and Renewable Energy Farooq Abdullah on Tuesday inaugurated India’s first ever commercial 2 MW solar power plant in Amritsar.

 

Which is known as energy city of India?

Bahrain-based Gulf Finance House is funding a US $2 billion (AED7. 35 billion) business district called Energy City India. Located near Mumbai, it will act as a hub for oil and gas firms and energy trading businesses.

 

Which state is the largest producer of solar energy in India 2020?

Gujarat

Gujarat — 2,654MW

The state is the top in India for domestic rooftop solar installations — a total of 50,915 — which account for nearly 64% of the country’s total of 79,950, as of March 2, 2020.

 

Total percentage of use solar power in India 2020

9.8%

Solar power represents 9.8% of the total installed power capacity in India as of Q1 2020. Small hydro installations contributed a lower share than the same time last year at 1.26%, down from 1.28% last year. Installed capacity, however, was up at 4.68 GW from 4.59 GW the previous year.

 

Total number of solar power grid in world

Global grid-connected solar capacity reached 580.1 GW at the end of 2019, along with 3.4 GW of offgrid PV, according to the International Renewable Energy Agency.

 

What is the total power consumption of India?

1,208 kWh per capita

During the 2019-20 fiscal year, the gross electricity generated by utilities in India was 1,383.5 TWh and the total electricity generation (utilities and non utilities) in the country was 1,598 TWh. The gross electricity consumption in 2019-20 was 1,208 kWh per capita.

 

In 2015 the target was raised to 100 GW of solar capacity (including 40 GW from rooftop solar) by 2022, targeting an investment of US$100 billion. India has established nearly 42 solar parks to make land available to the promoters of solar plants.

Electricity generation.

Year	Solar power generation (TWh)
2019–20	50.13

 

Advantages of Solar Energy

1. Renewable Energy Source
2. Reduces Electricity Bills
3. Diverse Applications
4. Low Maintenance Costs
5. Technology Development

Disadvantages of Solar Energy

1. Cost
2. Weather-Dependent
3. Solar Energy Storage Is Expensive
4. Uses a Lot of Space
5. Associated with Pollution

India being the cheapest producer of solar energy is not a coincidence but a success story of the effective public private partnership (PPP) model. The growth of the sector can be accredited to the following:
       1.  Positive Role of Government

       2. Incentives and Policies

       3. Land Certainty

       4. Low Cost of Labour

       5. Price Sensitivity

 

The country’s solar installed capacity was 36.9 GW as of 30 November 2020. The Indian government had an initial target of 20 GW capacity for 2022, which was achieved four years ahead of schedule. … Rooftop solar power accounts for 2.1 GW, of which 70% is industrial or commercial

Solar photovoltaics (PV)

• China: 30,100 MW (26.2%)
• United States: 13,300 MW (11.6%)
• India: 9,900 MW (8.6%)
• Japan: 7,000 MW (6.1%)
• Vietnam: 4,800 MW (4.2%)
• Spain: 4,400 MW (3.8%)
• Germany: 3,900 MW (3.4%)
• Australia: 3,700 MW (3.2%)

 

The cost of generation of solar power is set to fall to as low as Rs 1.9 per unit over the next decade through 2030 in India with new technologies boosting efficiency levels, a joint study by TERI and US-based think tank Climate Policy Initiative (CPI) has revealed.

Per unit cost of solar energy in India

India‘s solar power tariffs hit a new record low of Rs2 per unit on Monday during a bid conducted by state run Solar Energy Corporation of India Ltd (SECI), said a government official aware of the development. The previously lowest recorded solar tariff in the country was of ₹2.36 per unit. Based on  23-Nov-2020

পৃথিবীর সব শক্তির উৎসই সূর্য। সৌরশক্তি থেকে সরাসরি তাপশক্তি পাওয়া যায়। আবার সৌরকোষের সাহায্যে সৌর আলোককে সরাসরি বিদ্যুতে পরিণত করা যায়। সৌরশক্তিই আবার পৃথিবীর জলবায়ু নিয়ন্ত্রণ করে। সৌরশক্তি থেকেই বাতাসের সৃষ্টি হয়। আমরা বায়ুশক্তি পাই। সৌরশক্তির তাপেই সমুদ্রের জল বাষ্পীভূত হয়, মেঘ তৈরি হয়, বৃষ্টি হয়। জলবিদ্যুৎ কেন্দ্রে শক্তির উৎসও সৌরশক্তি। গত শতাব্দীর শেষভাগ পর্যন্ত সৌরশক্তি থেকে ব্যাপকভাবে বিদ্যুৎশক্তি তৈরির কথা খানিকটা ভাবনার মধ্যেই ছিল। কিন্তু পৃথিবীব্য‌পী শক্তি সঙ্কট ও পরিবেশ সঙ্কট থেকেই আমরা সৌরশক্তির ব্য‌বহারের কথা উপলব্ধি করতে পারলাম। সারা বিশ্বে এখন দু’রকম ভাবে সৌরশক্তি ব্য‌বহার করা হয়।

ক) সৌর তাপশক্তির সরাসরি ব্য‌বহার অথবা সৌর তাপশক্তির সাহায্যে বাষ্প তৈরি করে সেই বাষ্পকে নিয়ে টারবাইন চালিয়ে বিদ্যুৎ তৈরি করা ও তার ব্য‌বহার।

খ) সৌরকোষের সাহায্যে সৌরশক্তিকে সরাসরি বিদ্যুতে পরিণত করা ও তার ব্য‌বহার।

সারা বিশ্বে বর্তমানে ব্যাপকভাবে সৌরশক্তির ব্য‌বহার শুরু হয়েছে। এ ব্যাপারে সবচেয়ে এগিয়ে রয়েছে জার্মানি। ভারতে বড় মাপে সৌরশক্তি ব্য‌বহার শুরু হয় ২০০৯ সাল থেকে। এ দেশে সবচেয়ে বড় সৌরবিদ্যুৎ কেন্দ্রটি স্থাপন করা হয়েছিল পশ্চিমবঙ্গের আসানসোল শহরে। পরবর্তীকালে ভারতে জওহরলাল নেহরু জাতীয় সৌর মিশন চালু করা হয়। এই প্রকল্পের উদ্দেশ্য‌ শক্তি ক্ষেত্রে ভারতকে স্বনির্ভর করা ও দেশকে সৌরশক্তি ব্য‌বহারে সারা বিশ্বের মধ্যে প্রথম সারিতে নিয়ে যাওয়া। ২০২২ সালের মধ্যে ২২ হাজার মেগাওয়াট সৌর বিদ্যুৎকেন্দ্র বসানো হবে।

বর্তমানে পৃথিবীতে পুনর্নবীকরণযোগ্য‌ শক্তির উৎস থেকে প্রায় ৪ লক্ষ ৫০ হাজার মেগাওয়াট বিদ্যুৎ উৎপাদন হয়। আমাদের দেশে হিসাবটা হল প্রায় ৩৭০০০ মেগাওয়াট।

দেখা যাচ্ছে পুনর্নবীকরণযোগ্য‌ শক্তির উৎসগুলির মধ্যে সৌরশক্তিই সবচেয়ে বেশি সম্ভাবনাময়। সৌরশক্তি ভারতকে দিতে পারে যথাযথ শক্তি সুরক্ষার সুযোগ। সৌরশক্তিকে আমরা দু’ভাবে ব্য‌বহার করতে পারি।

সৌরশক্তির গুণগুলি হল এই যে–

• এর থেকে কোনও দূষণ হয় না।
• সৌরশক্তি অফুরান ও সর্বত্র পাওয়া যায়।
• এই শক্তি ব্য‌বহারে শুধুমাত্র প্রাথমিক খরচটাই করতে হয়, পরবর্তী খরচ নামমাত্র।

সৌর বিদ্যুৎকেন্দ্রের সুবিধা হল এই যে এরা ছোট বা বা বড় দু’রকমই হতে পারে। বাড়ির ছাদে ৫ কিলোওয়াট বা ১০ কিলোওয়াট বিদ্যুৎকেন্দ্র বসানো যায়। আবার মরুভূমি অঞ্চলে ১০০ মেগাওয়াট কেন্দ্র করা যায়। আশা করা যায় আগামী ২০৩০ সালের মধ্যে ভারতে ৫০ হাজার মেগাওয়াট বিদ্যুৎ সৌরশক্তি থেকে তৈরি করা হবে।

Solar power is an alternative source of energy which is capable of producing heat and generating electricity. Among all of the natural sources of energy, sunlight is the most abundant     The abundance of solar energy is only limited by the methods of collection,

storage and conversion into heat and electrical energy.

 

There are two main residential solar energy systems used, thermal systems and photovoltaics. Solar thermal systems capture solar energy in the form of heat. Flat-plate collectors consisting of blackened metal plates and sheets of glass capture heat from the Sin and is either stored or used directly to heat air or water in homes. Photovoltaic systems  convert solar energy directly to electricity. Solar energy is captured using solar panels that are made of solar cells or photovoltaic cells. These cells then convert light energy  from the sun  into electricity. With the need for renewable alternatives have started to become more popular in urban locations as solar energy systems.

 

WHY ‘SOLAR POWER’?

The most widely used forms of energy come from non-renewable and finite sources such as fossil fuels that give us coal, natural gas and petroleum. Apart from being non-renewable, these sources of energy also pollute the environment and cause widespread destruction of natural habitats. In such a scenario, it is becoming an ever-pressing concern to find alternate sources of energy that will not harm the environment but provide enough power to meet the world’s energy requirements. Solar energy is a modular technology, which means that we can install any number of panels depending on our needs and requirements. Using solar power greatly reduces your electricity bill, even completely eliminating it if your solar installations are big enough. Moreover, solar panels also help generate income through

various incentives offered by the federal government.

 

Solar power in San Diego is a sensible choice because California is one of the sunniest states in the country. San Diego receives 3055 hours of sunlight in a year, with 146 clear, sunny    days and 117 partly sunny days. With so much sunshine, the amount that can be saved on electricity and gas bills is incredible. In addition to the positive contribution towards protecting the environment as more households stop depending on fossil fuels and lean more towards renewable energy.

 

Reason of Solar Energy is alternative:

 

1. It’s a Free Source of Energy: The sun is the largest source of free energy you can utilize on this planet. It can provide enough power in just one minute that can supply the world’s electricity needs for a year. The renewable energy resource like the sun is also a sustainable and inexhaustible resource. Apart from electricity,We can also use solar energy for our home’s heating purposes. You can do the process by installing solar thermal systems and provide our house with free heated water. The system is also low maintenance which makes it an excellent investment for your home.

 

2. It Can Make Use of the Underutilized Land: With the increasing needs for solar power nowadays, the use of this renewable power resource can become more accessible for every homeowner. Apart from providing suitable power for your home, solar energy can also make use of the underutilized land and generate substantial value for the area There are vast land areas from various countries across the globe that are far away from big capitals or cities. Most of these areas might not be used for anything at all. However, solar energy can make use of these underutilized land more conveniently by installing photovoltaic solar panels on the

 

3. It Can Cause Less Electricity Loss: Electricity is transported from big power plants to consumers via extensive networks. It also travels through the power lines where a proportion of energy may be lost due to these lines’ resistance. Hence, long-distance electric transmissions would result in power losses. However, utilizing solar energy as an alternative power resource can help reduce electricity loss. We can install photovoltaic panels on your roof to help generate suitable energy from the sun. In our rooftop solar power can also help increase electricity efficiency, especially on short distances.

 

4. It Can Make Your Home Go Off-the-Grid : Traditional electricity might rely heavily on fossil fuels such as coal. The power that they generate can be harmful to the environment since burning fossil fuels would emit the harmful greenhouse gases and other air pollutants. They also have limited resources which could result in a volatile market where energy prices become unpredictable. However, utilizing solar energy  can help boost your electricity independence. We can invest in solar power systems to help make our home go off the grid. The sun can provide your home with enough electricity that doesn’t increase in rate. It can also help protect yourself against the unpredictability of the utility price increase. We can install solar panels on your roof   and technically reach an energy-independent status. We can also invest in solar  battery storage systems to help store extra solar energy for later use. These solar batteries can provide your home with enough power especially during nighttime and rainy

 

5. It’s Good for the Environment: One of the primary benefits of utilizing solar energy for our home is that it can provide a clean, green source of The use of solar power is an excellent way to help reduce your carbon footprint that’s harmful to the environment. It also doesn’t release any greenhouse gases and other toxic chemicals. Solar power is a self-sufficient renewable energy resource. Installing solar panels on your roof is a clean and safe way to help make the future more sustainable.

 

6. It Helps Improve Your Grid Security: The solar cells installed in your roof functioned as a small power plant that can generate enough energy for your As a homeowner, installing these panels can help provide your place with efficient electricity and improve our grid security as well. Moreover, utilizing renewables can help us save money by lowering our utility bills.

In prospect of our State the Government have setup one of the major organiastion is Solar Home and Solar Street Lights under RVE Programme :

West Bengal Renewable Energy Development Agency conceived a proposal to electrify five villages in Sundarbans with renewable energy systems. MNRE, Government of India sanctioned the project. The villages are as follows:

 

1. Purba Radhanagar of Gosaba Block,
2. Kumirmari of Gosaba Block
3. Amlamethi of Gosaba Block
4. Muriganga of Sagar
5. Gobindapur of Sagar

 

Project Components are:

1. Solar PV Home Lighting System : 6161
2. Solar PV Street Lighting System 616
3. PV-Biomass Gasifier Hybrid Power Plant : 02

WBREDA has already completed the above project with installation of 6161 Nos. Home Lighting Systems and 616 Nos. Solar Photovoltaic Street Lighting Systems. The total financi al involvement for these two projects become Rs.881.00 Lacs. Necessary matching share of State Govt. has been received.

WBREDA also conceived a proposal during 2009-10 for electrification of six remote villages in Sundarbans. The project has been approved by the Department of Power and NES, Government of West Bengal. The project has also been sanctioned by the MNRE,   Government of India towards Renewable Energy for rural applications in remote villages, WBREDA has installed two solar PV Power Plants each of capacity 2 kWp in Moushuni Island for providing power in operating Computers and Laboratory Equipments. The name the  schools are: Moushuni Co-operative High Schools and Baliara Kishor High School.

 

Ongoing concerns about climate change have made renewable energy sources an important component of the world energy consumption portfolio. Renewable energy technologies could reduce CO2 emissions by replacing fossil fuels in the power generation industry and the transportation sector. Because of some negative and irreversible externalities in conventional energy production, it is necessary to develop and promote renewable energy supply technologies and demand for renewable energy. Power generation using renewable energy sources should be increased in order to decrease the unit cost of generation. Energy consumption depends on several factors including economic progress, population, energy prices, weather, and technology.

• 1st March – Zero Discrimination Day
  Zero Discrimination Day is celebrated globally on 1 March every year so that everyone lives life with dignity regardless of age, gender, ethnicity, skin colour, height, weight, etc. The symbol of Zero Discrimination Day is the butterfly. Firstly, on 1 March, 2014 the UN had celebrated this day.
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  National Safety Day is celebrated in India on 4th March by the National Safety Council of India. This day is celebrated to make people get safe from several issues like financial loss, health problems, and also any other problems that people are facing in their life.
• 8 March – International Women’s Day
  This day is observed globally every year on 8 March to celebrate the social, economic, cultural, and political achievements of women. Also, it is an action for accelerating gender parity. Purple is the colour that symbolizes women internationally. The combination of the purple, green and white colour is to symbolize the equality of women’s which is originated from the Women’s Social and Political Union in the UK in 1908. Do you know that purple signifies justice and dignity, green symbolises hope and white purity?
• 10 March – CISF Raising Day
  The Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) Raising Day is observed every year on 10 March. The CISF was set up in 1969 under the act of the Parliament of India. It works under the Union Ministry of Home Affairs and its headquarter is in New Delhi. This organization works for seaways, airways, and some of the major installations in India. There are some reserved battalions in the CISF which work with the state police to protect law and orders.
• 10 March – No Smoking Day (Second Wednesday of March)
  No Smoking Day is observed every year on the second Wednesday of March to raise awareness about the harmful health effects of tobacco via smoking and to encourage people all over the world to quit smoking.
• 12 March – Mauritius Day
  Mauritius Day is celebrated annually on 12 March to mark two key events that took place in the history of the country that is independence from Britain in 1968 and it became a republic in 1992.
• 13 March – World Sleep Day

World Sleep Day is celebrated on 13 March, 2020. It is a call to action on important issues related to sleep, including medicine, education, social aspects, and driving. The slogan of World Sleep Day is Better Sleep, Better Life, Better Planet.

• 14 March – Pi Day
  On 14 March Pi Day is celebrated around the world. Pi is a symbol used in mathematics to represent a constant. It is the ratio of the circumference of a circle to its diameter which is approx. 3.14.

World Kidney Day: Theme, History, Significance, and Facts

• 14 March – International Day of Action for Rivers
  Every year on 14 March, the International Day of Action for Rivers is observed to raise voice to protect rivers and demand for improving the policies for Rivers. It is a day to educate one another about the threats facing our rivers and to find solutions.
• 15 March – World Consumer Rights Day
  It is observed on 15 March every year for raising global awareness about consumer rights and needs. This day is a chance to demand that the rights of all consumers are respected and protected and to protest against social injustices.
• 15 March – Ramakrishna Jayanti
  On this day the birth anniversary of Saint Ramakrishna is celebrated. According to him, “the sole point of human birth is to acknowledge God”.
• 16 March – National Vaccination Day
  On 16 March every year, National Vaccination Day is observed in India which is also known as National Immunisation Day (IMD). It was first observed on 16 March 1995 when the first dose of Oral Polio Vaccine was given. It is an attempt to increase awareness for the eradication of polio from the planet earth.
• 18 March – Ordnance Factories Day (India)
  On 18th March, Ordnance Factories Day is observed every year all over India. On this occasion, the Ordnance Factory, Field Gun Factory, Small Arms Factory, Ordnance Parachute Factory, and Ordnance Equipment Factory acknowledge the day.
• 20 March – International Day of Happiness
  International Day of Happiness is observed every year on 20 March. Since 2013, the United Nations has celebrated this day to recognize the importance of happiness in the lives of people around the world. The UN launched the 17 Sustainable Development Goals in 2015 to end poverty, reduce inequality and protect our planet which are the three key aspects that lead to well-being and happiness.
• 20 March – World Sparrow Day
  World Sparrow Day is celebrated across the world on 20 March to raise awareness about the conservation of sparrows. This day also celebrates the relationship between people and sparrows; spread a love for sparrows, awareness about their importance in our lives, etc.
• 20 March: World Oral Health Day

World Oral Health Day is celebrated on 20 March to raise awareness about oral health. The theme of World Oral Health day 2021 is “Be Proud Of Your Mouth”. In other words, value and take care of it.

• 21 March – World Forestry Day
  On 21st March, World Forestry Day or International Day of Forests is celebrated every year to raise public awareness about the values, significance, and contributions of the forests to balance the life cycle on the earth. In 1971, World Forestry Day was established at the 23rd General Assembly of the European Confederation of Agriculture.
• 21 March – World Down Syndrome Day

World Down Syndrome Day is observed every year on 21st March. Down syndrome is a naturally occurring chromosomal arrangement in human which results in variable effects on learning styles, physical characteristics or health. The General Assembly has declared 21st March in December 2011 as World Down Syndrome Day.

• 21 March – World Poetry Day
  On 21st March, World Poetry Day is celebrated every year to recognise the unique ability of poetry to capture the creative spirit of the human mind. To celebrate this day on 21st March was adopted during UNESCO’s 30th session in Paris in 1999.
• 22 March – World Water Day
  On 22 March, World Water Day is observed annually to raise awareness about the importance of freshwater and advocating for the sustainable management of freshwater resources. It was recommended to celebrate in 1992 at the United Nations Conference on Environment and Development (UNCED) in Rio de Janerio. And then, in 1993 the first World Water Day is celebrated.
• 23rd March – World Meteorological Day
  World Meteorological Day is celebrated on 23rd March every year to attract attention towards weather and climate for the safety and well-being of the society. On 23rd March, 1950, the World Meteorological Organisation came into force. The theme of World Meteorological Day 2021 is the ocean, our climate, and weather.
• 24 March – World Tuberculosis (TB) Day
  World TB Day is celebrated every year on 24 March annually to commemorate the date when Dr. Robert Koch announced his discovery of Mycobacterium tuberculosis, the bacillus that causes TB in 1882. This Day is observed to educate people about TB, its impact around the world.
• 27 March – World Theatre Day
  World Theatre Day is celebrated on 27 March annually across the world since 1962 to raise the importance of the art form “theatre” and to act as a wakeup call for governments, politicians, and institutions that have not yet recognised its value to the people and also have not realised its potential for economic growth.

আটঘরা জ্যোতি মহিলা উদ্যোগ, একটি স্বনির্ভর গোষ্ঠীর মহিলাদের দ্বারা পরিচালিত এনজিও, যারা নিউটাউন অঞ্চলসংলগ্ন 75টি গ্রামে এবং বিধন্নগর মিউনিসিপালিটি এরিয়াতে 1200 স্বনির্ভর গোষ্ঠী এবং 14000 স্বনির্ভর গোষ্ঠীর সদস্যদের পরিচালনা করে থাকে।

Covid-19 পরিস্থিতিতে স্বনির্ভর গোষ্ঠীর মহিলাদের আর্থ-সামাজিক অবস্থার কথা সেইভাবে প্রতিষ্ঠানিক বা সরকারি ব্যবস্থায় পরিলক্ষিত হয়নি। এমত অবস্থায় আটঘরা জ্যোতি মহিলা উদ্যোগ Covid-19 এর সময়ে যেসব মহিলারা গর্ভবতী ছিলেন তাদের মা হওয়ার যাত্রায় যে কঠিন পরিস্থিতির সম্মুখীন হয় তা এক মাসের একটি আয়োজনের মাধ্যমে সেই মায়েদের এবং তাদের শিশুদের স্বাস্থ্য সম্মত কিছু উপদেশ দেওয়ার চেষ্টা করে এবং WHO recommendation অনুযায়ী কিছু গিফট প্রদান করা হয়।

আটঘরা জ্যোতি মহিলা উদ্যোগের পরবর্তী পদক্ষেপ ব্লাড ব্যাংকের সূচনা। যেখানে স্বনির্ভর গোষ্ঠীর মহিলারা তাদের রক্ত সেভ করতে পারে এবং প্রয়োজনে তা ব্যবহার করতে পারবে বলে উদ্যোগী হয়ে এগিয়ে আসে। এই উদ্যোগ নিয়ে স্বনির্ভর গোষ্ঠীর মহিলারা তাদের স্বেচ্ছায় গত 14ই ফেব্রুয়ারি 2021, একটি ব্লাড ডোনেশন ক্যাম্প পরিচালনা করে। সেই ভাবে স্বনির্ভর গোষ্ঠীর মহিলাদের সাত দিনের একটি লিডারশিপ ডেভলপমেন্ট প্রোগ্রামের আয়োজন করা হয়।এই 14ই ফেব্রুয়ারি বহু মহিলা স্বাস্থ্যকর্মীদের সাহায্যে কাজটি সম্পূর্ণ রূপ পায়।

আজ ইন্টারন্যাশনাল ওমেন্স ডে তে এই প্রত্যেকটি মহিলাদের সম্বর্ধনা প্রদান করা হয় এবং সমাজে প্রতিষ্ঠিত আরো কিছু বিশিষ্ট মহিলাদের সম্বর্ধনা দেওয়া হয়। আমাদের এই অনুষ্ঠানে আয়োজক ভারতীয় বিদ্যাভবন এর ছাত্র ছাত্রীরা স্বনির্ভর গোষ্ঠীর মহিলাদের আর্থসামাজিক জীবনযাত্রার ওপর একটি স্টাডি করে এবংতার ফলস্বরূপ তাদেরকেও সম্বর্ধনা দেওয়া হয়। তার সাথে সাথে আমাদের ইকোফ্রেন্ডলি ই-ম্যাগাজিন ঊষা, যা সামাজিক প্রকল্প এবং যে কোনো প্রাতিষ্ঠানিক ইচ্ছাশক্তিকে এগিয়ে নিয়ে যাওয়ার একটি পাবলিকেশন মাত্র, সেখানে যে কেউ নিজের চিন্তা-ধারা লেখনীর মাধ্যমে ব্যক্ত করতে পারে, আমরা সেইসব লেখকদেরও আজকে সম্বর্ধনা জানাই।

এই অনুষ্ঠানে উপস্থিত গণ্যমান্য ব্যক্তিদের নাম তালিকাভুক্ত করা হলো-

• Our Guests of Honour

1. Dr. G.V Subramanian, Director of Bhavan’s Kolkata
2. Prof Dr. Ramakanta Patra, Principal of Bhavan’s
3. Smt Nurani Islam, Chief Functionary of Atghara Jyoti Mohila Udyog
4. CMA Manas Kumar Thakur, Ex. President of ICWAI, & Present Secratary of Kolkata Cost & Management Society

 

• Leaders of the Leaders (Honourable Female Guest)

1. Dr. Swati Nandi Chakraborty, Environmentalist
2. Smt. Shubhra Chatterjee, Educationalist
3. Anasua Mukherjee, Film & Theater
4. Smt. Safiun Nesa, Media Personality
5. Smt. Subhalakshmi Samanta, Entrepreneur
6. Dr. Rita De Poet & Social Worker

 

• Other Guests

1. Our co partners
2. Writers of our E-magazine ( Mr. Shrinjoy Thakur, Madhumita Das, Sayantani Das etc)