Panasonic will contribute 4,000 solar lanterns in India this year as part of Phase II of the 100 Thousand solar lantern project.
Under Phase I of the 100 Thousand solar lantern project, Panasonic allocated 5000 solar lights last year.
For this project, Panasonic has partnered with six leading NGOs which include the World Health Partners, Plan International India, World Vision India, Care India, Japan Lutheran Evangelical Association and SARD in the areas of Bihar, Andhra Pradesh, Orissa, West Bengal and Haryana.
Some of the activities planned through this initiative include allowing medical care service at night to promote the healthcare campaign for poor and deprived families, and conduct eco-education classes in the evening for children without alternate sources of light.
With the objective of fostering a better life, this project will also support economic independence of BPL people living in off-grid areas, Panasonic said.
Commenting on this sustainability initiative, Dr. G. Prasad, director- Off Grid Location, Ministry of New & Renewable Energy (MNRE), Govt. of India, said, “Electricity/Power has been universally recognized as one of the most important factors for economic growth and human development. In this light, increasing pressure of population and a cumulative use of energy in different sectors of the economy is an area of concern for India.”
“This initiative by Panasonic will help solve various existing social issues. I would like to commend Panasonic for promoting such corporate citizenship projects in India by lending a hand to country’s growth,” Prasad added.
Panasonic has been involved in several solar lantern projects across the world. The company has launched successful solar lantern projects and allocated 10,000 compact solar lights to non-profit, non-governmental and humanitarian organizations working to solve social challenges in Myanmar (3,000 units) and India (5,000 units), along with 2,000 lights to refugee camps in Africa in 2013.