Electricity has finally reached some of the most remote and hard-to-access tribal villages of the North East, changing daily life for thousands of families who lived without power for decades. This major achievement has earned the Tripura Renewable Energy Development Agency (TREDA) a Silver Medal at the SKOCH Awards 2025, recognising its work in using solar energy to reach areas where regular power lines could not. The award was presented at the 105th SKOCH Awards ceremony held in New Delhi. The honour was given by Sameer Kochhar, Chairman and Managing Director of the SKOCH Group. The award recognises TREDA’s efforts in bringing solar-powered microgrids to far-flung tribal habitations that remained outside the reach of conventional electricity networks for years. The project was implemented under the Centre’s PM-DEVINE scheme in partnership with the Government of Tripura. Under this initiative, electricity has been provided to 274 remote tribal villages through the installation of solar microgrids. These villages are spread across difficult terrain where extending the main electricity grid was either technically difficult or financially unviable. As part of the project, a total of 274 solar microgrids were set up, with capacities ranging from 2 kilowatt to 25 kilowatt. Together, these microgrids have created an installed solar capacity of about 3 megawatts. The project has benefited 9,762 households across 247 habitations. The total cost of the initiative stood at Rs 81.02 crore.
Each household covered under the scheme received four LED lights and a mobile phone charging point. In addition, solar-powered streetlights were installed along village roads, near community spaces and in other important public areas. For many families, this marked the first time they experienced reliable lighting inside their homes after sunset. Before the project, most of these villages depended on kerosene lamps for lighting. This not only provided poor illumination but also caused health problems due to smoke and fumes. With the introduction of solar power, the use of kerosene has reduced sharply, improving indoor air quality and making homes safer, especially for children and elderly residents. Officials involved in the project said reaching these villages was a major challenge. Many settlements are located 15 to 20 kilometres away from the nearest motorable road. Transporting equipment to these locations required careful planning and strong coordination with local communities. In some areas, materials had to be carried manually over long distances. Even in villages where grid power existed earlier, electricity supply was often unreliable. Frequent power cuts, especially during the monsoon and pre-monsoon seasons, would leave homes without electricity for hours or even days. This affected students, healthcare services and small businesses. The solar microgrids have now provided a steady and dependable source of power throughout the year.
The impact of the project is already visible across the villages. Children are now able to study in the evenings under proper lighting, which has improved their ability to complete homework and prepare for exams. Teachers and parents say this has made a noticeable difference in learning outcomes. Access to mobile charging and television has also helped villagers stay connected with the outside world. People can now receive information about government schemes, weather updates, health advisories and other important announcements. This has reduced the sense of isolation that many remote communities earlier faced.Traditional occupations such as bamboo weaving, handloom work and other cottage industries have also benefited. Artisans can now continue their work after sunset, allowing them to increase production and earn higher incomes. Small village shops are staying open longer, leading to better availability of essential goods and improved local economies. The installation of solar streetlights has made night-time movement safer, particularly for women and elderly residents. Villagers say the fear of accidents and wildlife encounters after dark has reduced significantly.
