Rural energy planning in India: designing effective intervention strategies.

Abstract The conceptual and methodological issues in rural energy planning are examined with the purpose of facilitating the process of effective energy intervention design. It is suggested that effective energy intervention design in rural areas must be a component of the economic development plans of the area for which it is formulated — integrating energy sources and technologies should not be the compelling factor. The purpose of the intervention design would be to augment and facilitate economically productive activities in addition to fulfilling the subsistence requirements and improving quality of life. It is concluded that intensive intervention, implemented at the cluster of villages level by local institutions, supervised from the block, coordinated from the district, monitored at the state level and supported nationally appear to be the most promising combination for making effective interventions in the rural energy sector in the context of India.