Guwahati: Assam Gramin Bank (AGB) is targeting 500 loans for decentralised renewable energy (DRE)-based livelihood solutions over the next six months, following a bankers’ orientation workshop organised in Guwahati by SELCO Foundation and DIYA Foundation in collaboration with the bank.
The workshop, held at Hotel Kiranshree Grand, brought together senior AGB officials, branch managers from across Kamrup district, credit and business development heads, clean-energy technology providers and rural entrepreneurs.
Discussions focused on using bank finance to make renewable-energy technologies accessible to smallholder farmers, women-led enterprises and micro-entrepreneurs.
The programme marked the first structured engagement under a memorandum of understanding between AGB, SELCO Foundation and DIYA Foundation.
The partnership seeks to build institutional capacity within the bank and develop financing pathways for DRE solutions in agriculture, textiles, retail and services, and food processing. It also aims to encourage lending through bank branches across Kamrup and other areas.
The organisations said rural entrepreneurs continue to face limited access to affordable finance for productive-use technologies, while bank staff have limited familiarity with DRE-enabled livelihood solutions.
The workshop identified gaps including limited awareness of the income-generating potential of solar-powered equipment, a lack of loan products suited to equipment-based livelihood assets, perceived risks associated with smallholder and new-technology lending, and weak links between banks, technology providers, farmer-producer organisations and enterprises.
During the workshop, representatives from SELCO Foundation and DIYA Foundation presented technologies including solar-powered flour mills, oil mills, agricultural machinery and cold storage.
Entrepreneurs and vendors also shared experiences of operating DRE-powered enterprises, while clean-energy companies Quadra Technologies, Keshabson Incubation & Machineries and Saharia Pvt. Ltd. presented their technologies and service models.
A panel discussion examined how livelihood technology loans could be structured, risks mitigated, and bank credit combined with government schemes and subsidies. Branch managers subsequently took part in an open question-and-answer session.
As an immediate outcome, AGB branches began identifying clusters and enterprise types in Kamrup for potential loan activation, targeting at least two to three opportunities per branch.
AGB, SELCO Foundation and DIYA Foundation also agreed on a follow-up plan under which the two foundations will provide hand-holding support to branches.
Amlanjyoti Gogoi, General Manager-Credit, Assam Gramin Bank, said the partnership could help rural entrepreneurs gain access to decentralised renewable-energy solutions.
“Given Assam’s energy challenges, there is a strong need to accelerate the adoption of renewable energy solutions across the state,” Gogoi said, adding that with support from branch heads, the bank could facilitate 500 loans within the next six months.
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