Workshop on 'Fast Tracking Sustainable Energy Solutions for Human Development' in Odisha

As a part of the TERI-DFID partnership and our on-going association with UNDP, TERI organized a consultative workshop on 'Fast Tracking Sustainable Energy Solutions for Human Development' along with the officials of the Government of Odisha on February 24, 2015. The workshop was chaired by the Chief Secretary and attended by the Principal Secretaries of various departments, on issues related to energy and human development.

The workshop began with a brief address by the honourable Chief Secretary, Govt. of Odisha, followed by a presentation by Mr Rehman that stated the key activities undertaken by TERI, including actionable points and the application of technology to help participants understand the key aspects related to TERI's work. This was followed by an interactive session on issues such as status of energy access in remote parts of Odisha, institutional mechanism and fund available for provisioning basic energy access, and energy enterprise model of TERI and its utility in provisioning access to basic energy (clean cooking and lighting).

The workshop concluded with some policy prescriptions, which were spelt out by the Chief Secretary:

• A technology support group is to be formed involving experts/officials from IIT, TERI, S&T Dept. Government of Odisha and GRIDCO.
• A draft off-grid policy is to be developed by the government under the chairmanship of Mr D K Roy, former Chairman OERC and Chairman of HDF-CDAR with the support of TERI which will be submitted to OERC for approval.
• A taskforce is to be formed to develop models and modules for specific energy solutions in the fields of agriculture, education and other sectors.
• A separate committee is to be formed to work on household level energy solutions such as solar water heaters in the urban areas with the involvement of OREDA & TERI. This committee would also look into the IEC training and capacity building needs for creating demand for sustainable energy at the community/household level.

Others present during the workshop were Addl. Chief Secretary Forest & Environment & Development Commissioner, GoO; Principal Secretary, Energy, GoO; Secretary, Women and Child Development, GoO; Secretary, School & Mass Education, GoO; Secretary, Science & Technology, GoO; Secretary Culture & Revenue Divisional Commissioner, Central Division, Revenue Divisional Commissioner, Western Division; Revenue Divisional Commissioner, Southern Division; Managing Director, GRIDCO; Mr D K Ray, Chairman, HDF; Mr Sudarshan Das, Member Secretary, HDF; Dr Manmath Mohanty, Director, HDF; Mr I H Rehman, Director, TERI; Mr Amit Kumar, Senior Fellow, TERI; Mr Jeevan Prakash Mohanty, Fellow, TERI; Mr Banamali Dash, Field Coordinator, TERI; Mr Prashant Swain, Research Associate, TERI.