In India, rural women have always strived to use minimal energy for cooking and other household needs. The advent of solar energy for household needs and for their livelihoods fits perfectly with their mindset of conservation of scarce resources. It enables them to meet all their energy needs with only one-time investments. In recent years, solar energy has been utilized by women to increase their productivity and income, realize their true capacity and potential, and meet the aspirational needs of their children. Solar energy has the additional advantage that it eliminates the concerns for rising fuel costs. By enabling women to earn decent livelihoods, solar energy contributes to their empowerment.
Silk sarees, dresses, and scarves have a special place in weddings and other ceremonial occasions in almost all communities. Prized throughout history for their quality and diversity, silk products have been gaining market interest across the world. Silk and cotton textile production, in fact, has emerged as a major generator of employment in India.
While China is the leading producer of silk, India is the largest consumer of silk. Almost one-third of the country’s requirement of silk for the domestic demand is met through imports from China. Producing silk in India to substitute imports could create millions of additional rural jobs. However, technologies employed in India for the production of yarn, fabrics, and other products of silk continue to be highly inefficient and obsolete. Therefore, India continues to import silk required for domestic production and consumption.
This story is from the January - March 2020 edition of Energy Future.
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This story is from the January - March 2020 edition of Energy Future.
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