Government to provide 60,000 solar lamps to Karnali

As per the commitment expressed by the government in this year's budget, the government is preparing to distribute 60,000 solar lamps in nine districts in and around Karnali zone in north-western Nepal, where there is no access to central electricity grid.

The "Light to Karnali" program will cover Jumla, Humla, Mugu, Kalikot, Dolpa, Jajarkot, Bajhang, Bajura and Achham districts and will benefit 60,000 households – 31,000 from five districts of Karnali and 29,000 from remaining districts.

As per the program, each household will get solar energy adequate to light two lamps and run radio. According to Alternative Energy Promotion Center (AEPC), only 22 percent of populations in Karnali currently have access to light. After this program, which will be completed in a year, this proportion of population will increase to 75 percent.

Meanwhile, after MPs of Karnali zone raised concerns about the dim light of solar lamps, the AEPC has changed its solar lamp model and increased the intensity of light. nepalnews.com sd Dec 03 06