Project Ujala is a flagship initiative implemented by Elios Management Consulting Pvt. Ltd. to bring solar-powered streetlights to underserved rural communities in Bihar, Jharkhand, and Uttarakhand. This innovative intervention was launched to address chronic issues in rural India—unsafe public spaces, restricted mobility after dark, and limited economic activity due to the lack of reliable lighting.
Across Phase 1 and Phase 2, the project illuminated over 250 villages through the installation of 370 solar streetlights—130 in Phase 1 (98 in Bihar and 32 in Uttarakhand) and 240 in Phase 2 (104 in Bihar and 136 in Jharkhand). The impact was far-reaching: safer streets, revitalized evening markets, and increased women’s mobility.
In addition to infrastructure, Project Ujala prioritized capacity building, especially of local women, promoting sustainability and gender inclusion. Over 3,500 community members were trained in solar light maintenance, financial literacy, and gender awareness, laying the groundwork for long-term community ownership.
Each training focused on practical skills like cleaning and maintaining solar panels, reporting technical faults, budgeting, accessing digital financial services, and breaking gender stereotypes. Participants also created community-led action plans for sustainability.
Elios not only addressed the lighting gap but also ignited a behavioural shift—villagers now gather for evening discussions (ratrichaupals), markets remain open after sunset, and local women confidently step outdoors after dark.
This people-centric, eco-friendly approach to rural development not only improves infrastructure but also empowers communities economically and socially, proving that decentralized renewable energy solutions can be transformational when coupled with local capacity building.
- Provide sustainable lighting in power-deficient rural areas.
- Promote women’s leadership and mobility through gender-inclusive trainings.
- Build local capacity for long-term solar light maintenance.
- Enhance night-time safety, especially for women and children.
- Enable economic activity beyond daylight hours.
In Khunti, Jharkhand, local resident Sunita Devi shared how Project Ujala transformed her daily life. “Before, we were scared to step out after 6 PM. Now, women feel safe attending self-help group meetings and children play till late evening. I was trained in solar light maintenance and now help my community keep the lights functioning.” Her story symbolizes the ripple effect of empowerment through energy access.
- Total Lights Installed: 370 (136 in Jharkhand, 104 in Bihar, 32 in Uttarakhand during Phase 2; 98 in Bihar and Uttarakhand during Phase 1)
- Villages Covered: 250+
- People Trained: 3,500+ (2,162 in Phase 2; 1,429 in Phase 1)
- Women Trained: Over 60% of total participants
- Districts Covered: 10 districts across 3 states
In regions where electricity remains unreliable, solar lighting is not a luxury—it is a necessity. Project Ujala fills this gap by:
- Reducing rural-urban inequality in infrastructure.
- Empowering women, who often bear the brunt of poor public lighting.
- Strengthening local governance through community ownership models.
- Promoting climate resilience using clean, off-grid energy.
- Improving access to public spaces, education, healthcare, and livelihoods.
Project Ujala has emerged as a replicable, scalable, and sustainable model that transforms rural livelihoods through clean energy and community empowerment. With proven success in Bihar, Jharkhand, and Uttarakhand, the time is ripe to expand the initiative across other rural and semi-urban belts of India.
Elios is fully prepared to scale the project into Phase 3 and Phase 4, which envision reaching 500 more villages with 1,000 additional solar streetlights and training 10,000+ community members, especially women and youth. The infrastructure component will be complemented by robust training modules on financial inclusion, gender equity, and solar maintenance to ensure long-term sustainability.
Key to this scale-up is strategic collaboration. Elios seeks committed CSR partners, donors, and development organizations who share a vision for rural empowerment. With each partner’s support, we can light up thousands more lives—ensuring safer, more vibrant communities where women lead, children thrive, and local economies flourish even after the sun sets.
- Operational Expertise: Proven multi-state implementation experience.
- Trained Manpower: A cadre of master trainers and grassroots mobilizers.
- Community Trust: Built through local engagement and gender-sensitive approaches.
- Monitoring Framework: Existing helplines and community action plans.
- Sustainability Model: Focus on community-led maintenance ensures continuity beyond project cycles.
Our mission is clear: to eliminate darkness from the lives of underserved rural populations. With Phase 3 and Phase 4, we aim not just to expand, but to deepen the impact by fostering leadership among rural women and promoting inclusive development through clean energy.
Together with partners and donors, Elios is ready to take Project Ujala nationwide—lighting up not just streets, but futures.