Water is an abundant resource that has been used for centuries as a means of generating power. But one 34-year-old college dropout from Bayang village in India has taken it a step further by developing a micro-hydel power plant using unconventional materials like bamboo to produce free electricity for his village. Kedar Prasad Mahto's groundbreaking invention has captured the attention of the National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development (NABARD), which sees potential in his plant to power small-scale farmers for cultivation.

Mahto's passion for his village and its people has driven him to create a cost-effective solution to the high costs of building hydel power plants using conventional technology. Mahto's plant, which required only Rs 3 lakh of his own investment, has successfully generated 5KV of free power to illuminate the streets and temple in the village.

NABARD officials have been impressed with Mahto's innovative approach to generating electricity and are exploring the possibility of financing similar initiatives in other villages. According to them, Mahto's model has the potential to produce up to 2MW of power, which would cost just Rs 2 crore to build, a fraction of the cost of conventional plants.

Mahto's plant, made from bamboo sticks and a homemade turbine, has not only brought free electricity to his village but also opened up new possibilities for rural communities across India. The future looks bright for Mahto and his micro-hydel power plant, which has the potential to transform the lives of farmers and rural communities across the country.