Institution as the catalyst for productive use of electricity in livelihood cluster: Case for energy plus approach from Andhra Pradesh

This study in the Pochampally handloom cluster in the state of Andhra Pradesh, India examines the role and impact of institutions in channelizing non-energy inputs to rural handloom households and their ability to trigger income augmentation via productive use of electricity. Economically weaker weaver households from two sites in the handloom cluster were compared based on their income, change in income and productive usage of electricity. The findings indicate that households receiving non-energy inputs channelized by a formal institution perform better in each of the identified comparison variable than the households that were not linked to any such formal institution. The study recommends inclusion of institutions as channels for facilitating non-energy inputs in programs/projects designed using energy plus approach of the United Nations.