Anugoonj is an IIT Roorkee initiative that creates livelihoods for women and girls in the hills of Uttarakhand by bringing together renewable energy, skills training and enterprise development — and carries the lessons from the field to policy makers.
Anugoonj — echo of sustainable change in the hills — is the public name of the project Integrated Livelihood, Renewable Energy, and Environmental Resilience Initiative for Rural Communities of Uttarakhand, led by the Department of Architecture & Planning, IIT Roorkee, with the TIDES Business Incubator.
The project began in July–August 2025. A background data study identified six blocks across five hill districts. In each block the team works with the Block Development Office, the State Rural Livelihood Mission (NRLM) and REAP, and identifies a local champion who mobilises women, spreads information about the programme and brings participants to the training venue.
How the project works
- Scoping (Aug–Nov 2025) — field visits, consultations with block officials and self-help groups, study of renewable energy sites and local enterprises.
- Phase I — Training (Nov 2025 – Aug 2026) — technical and business training delivered with startups and professional consultants: solar energy products, mushroom cultivation, food processing, bakery, Aipan art and Bhimal fibre craft.
- Phase II — Policy dialogues (from Sep 2026) — district-level dialogues with Chief Development Officers and heads of departments such as Agriculture, Animal Husbandry and Forests, presenting findings, challenges and possible mitigation.
- Recommendations (by Feb 2027) — suggestions to the State Government for more efficient delivery of government programmes to the last person.