6.6. Institutional coordination and energy development strategy

The implementation of rural energy programmes requires the involvement of a large number of official agencies working under different departments, private and public manufacturers, voluntary agencies, artisans, R&D institutions, village communities, social organisations and private individuals. This requires a considerable degree of coordination at the village, taluk and district levels [52].

At the district level, this function should be performed by the District Planning Officer who can also assist as a district level Project Implementation Officer. Besides coordination among the different tiers of planning institutions, there is a great need for networking R&D institutions, manufacturers and other concerned groups, e.g., community organisations and NGO’s involved in rural energy planning and implementation. Finally, the success or failure of regional energy programmes/projects in a district will also be determined by strategies adopted and logistics provided. After a rural energy technology has been field-tested and found suitable for large-scale implementation in a district, the major task for its implementation will involve formulation of strategies based on the following factors:

1. speed or rate of progress of programme implementation,
2. provision of funds and procedures for disbursing loans and subsidies,
3. making raw materials available for installation of energy transmitting devices,
4. creation of infrastructure for manufacturing energy equipment (it has also to be decided whether the public organisations should manufacture it or whether private entrepreneurs should be encouraged by providing incentives),
5. R&D and maintenance networks to promote the design of energy equipment, training of artisans and mechanics for fabrication, installation as well as maintenance, and
6. monitoring and evaluation to facilitate timely feedback and assess the success of the programme.