Odisha, Odisha — Eco-friendly cookstoves are transforming rural life in Udaipur’s remote areas, replacing traditional stoves with clean technology that reduces firewood consumption and harmful emissions.

Background For decades, households in Odisha’s tribal regions relied on inefficient mud and three-stone stoves, leading to deforestation and health risks from smoke. The state government, alongside non-profits, has long promoted alternatives, but adoption remained low due to cost and design barriers. Now, a women-led enterprise is addressing these challenges with a scalable solution tailored to rural needs.

Context and History The shift began in 2023 when Udaipur Urja Initiatives (UUI), a farmer producer company, partnered with Greenway Grameen, a Gujarat-based manufacturer, to develop high-efficiency cookstoves. Designed for rural households, these stoves operate on solid fuels like wood and agro-residue while minimising carbon emissions. Certified by the Union Ministry of New and Renewable Energy and the Bureau of Indian Standards, the stoves boast a 30% thermal efficiency—double that of traditional models.

Full Verified Sequence of Events UUI’s CEO, Saumyajit Auddy, confirms the initiative has reached 65,000 households across eight tehsils in Udaipur and Salumbar districts. A network of 400 women entrepreneurs, trained as sales agents, has driven this expansion. The single-burner stoves cut cooking time by half and reduce firewood use by two-thirds, saving an estimated 12,000 tonnes of wood annually. Women’s collectives in villages like those in the tribal-dominated areas now lead awareness campaigns, demonstrating the stoves’ benefits in community gatherings.

Community Impact The switch has reduced respiratory illnesses linked to indoor air pollution and eased the burden on women who previously spent hours gathering firewood. Locally, the initiative has created jobs for 400 women, empowering them as entrepreneurs. Officials note the project aligns with Odisha’s 2025 climate action goals, with the state government offering subsidies to lower stove costs for low-income families.

Local Significance In Odisha, where over 20% of the population lives in poverty, this initiative addresses both environmental and socio-economic challenges. By targeting remote, tribal communities, the project bridges the urban-rural divide in access to clean energy, setting a precedent for sustainable development in the state.

What Happens Next UUI plans to expand to 100 additional villages by 2026, with support from the National Rural Livelihoods Mission. Auddy said the company is also exploring solar-powered stove models to further reduce reliance on biomass. For now, the success of this women-led model offers a blueprint for scaling eco-friendly solutions across Odisha’s hinterlands.