SwitchON works with MSME steel units and the wider ecosystem to accelerate a practical, inclusive transition towards lower-carbon steel production.
Research and stakeholder dialogue; energy efficiency; renewable energy integration; scrap and circularity; green technologies; green skilling; sustainable finance; innovation and pilot support.
SwitchON’s work has included a West Bengal secondary-steel sector stakeholder study, the Greenovation Green Steel Challenge, and multi-stakeholder dialogues with industry, financiers, and policymakers. The Green Steel Challenge offered up to ₹25 lakh of support for pilot-ready solutions.
EarthON Foundation, Greenovation Hub, WWF-India, Rajiva Sinha Foundation, India Green Steel Network, industry and ecosystem partners.
This initiative tests how decentralised renewable energy can address energy needs while creating pathways for resilient livelihoods among tea-growing communities in North Bengal.
Solar and other DRE solutions; energy access; community awareness; alternative livelihoods; skills and capacity building; access to schemes, finance, technology and markets.
The baseline project targets 2,500 small tea growers and 2,500 tea garden workers across three tea gardens in Darjeeling, Kalimpong and Jalpaiguri. It explores renewable-energy-enabled livelihood options including eco-tourism, organic farming, beekeeping, dairy and livestock, sal-leaf products, mushroom cultivation and horticulture.
Tea garden communities, small tea growers, tea garden workers, technology providers, government and ecosystem partners.
Udyamini empowers rural women to build sustainable, market-linked enterprises through entrepreneurship development, financial inclusion and collective business opportunities.
Entrepreneurship and skill development; financial and digital literacy; access to credit; collective enterprises; market linkages; technology adoption; decentralised renewable energy; business mentoring.
Udyamini has reached 2,500 rural women across Bankura, Nadia and Purulia, focusing on two value chains: agriculture and agri-allied activities, and handloom. Through entrepreneurship development, financial support and market linkages, the programme aims to establish 350 women entrepreneurs by 2027.
Eastmojo, Transform Trade, Grassroot Corporation, Grameen Sahara and Digital Empowerment Foundation (DEF).
ON Sandbox pilots and scales emerging sustainability ideas through research and partnerships, helping promising initiatives grow into flagship programmes.
It provides a safe space to test, refine, and build evidence for new solutions before scaling them.
ON Sandbox works across sustainable cities, industrial decarbonisation, distributed renewable energy, and resilient livelihoods.
01Accelerating practical, lower-carbon pathways for MSME steel through research, innovation, finance and ecosystem collaboration.
02Testing decentralised renewable energy solutions to improve energy access and create resilient livelihood opportunities for tea-growing communities.
03Empowers 2,500 rural women across West Bengal through agri-allied and handloom enterprises, aiming to establish 350 women entrepreneurs by 2027.
Bijoy Limbu moved from uncertain agricultural work to a solar career after completing SwitchON’s 45-day training programme, securing a job in Kalyani with a monthly income of ₹12,000, along with food and accommodation.
Anup Das, CEO of Highland FPC in Darjeeling, strengthened trust in solar products through community outreach and technical support, helping increase demand for his solar products nearly fivefold.
Anup Rai, an organic tea grower in Darjeeling, adopted a solar insect trapper that improved pest control and reduced his pesticide expenditure to zero.
Monika Gore, a Solar Sathi in Jalpaiguri, built trust in solar products across her community and developed a local enterprise earning ₹5,000–₹6,000 per month.
Pinki Chik Barik established a Solar Point in Nageshwari Tea Garden, Jalpaiguri, making solar products more accessible to local households and helping families adopt reliable lighting solutions.
From weaving silk to weaving independence, Sharbari Roy Das now leads a Cocoon Hub, earns nearly ₹5,000 a month, and inspires other women to rise.
