Bottom-Up Meets Top-Down
How NGO–State Coordination Shapes Energy Access in India
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.55763/ippr.2025.06.05.002Abstract
This paper examines how state and non-state actors coordinate to deliver energy services in rural India. Using Bindi International’s community solar program in Jharkhand, it asks: to what extent can NGO–state coordination advance equitable access to electricity? Drawing on policy mapping (national and state energy policies), program documents, and interviews with local officials and Self-Help Group members, the study analyses vertical coordination between the central government and state government and horizontal coordination between the state nodal agency for renewable energy and other state agencies responsible for rural development, tribal welfare. Findings show partial alignment at the state level around off-grid and last-mile electricity connectivity objectives but lack of institutionalized roles of NGOs in policy documents, and fragmentation of governance as one of the main causes of coordination failure. The paper argues that formalizing NGO roles, resourcing cross-departmental collaboration, and embedding Panchayats in program design can turn NGOs from “implementers” into co-producers of policy feedback and more just outcomes.
Keywords:
energy equity, policy coordination, multi-level governance, energy access, non-governmental organizations, coordination failureDownloads
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