Pilot project involving solar-powered devices, IoT aims to reduce electricity use by at least 17% in village water schemes
The Rural Development and Panchayat Raj Department is piloting an IoT-based solar-powered system to automate water pump operations in Bengaluru Rural district. The project aims to reduce electricity consumption by at least 17% by using sensors to manage water levels in overhead tanks.
Why it matters
This initiative demonstrates a scalable model for improving rural infrastructure efficiency and reducing municipal utility costs through public-private partnerships.
With gram panchayats facing high electricity bills and irregular drinking water supply, the Rural Development and Panchayat Raj (RDPR) Department is currently piloting a new system in Bengaluru Rural district where “solar-powered” devices installed on overhead water tanks will monitor water levels and automatically control the operation of water pumps in villages.
The system has already been installed at 1,818 locations in Bengaluru Rural district. As per the data, electricity consumption has reduced by 42% in Hoskote and 27% in Devanahalli.
Officials said that electricity used to run drinking water schemes is one of the biggest expenses for gram panchayats, with the pilot project – Rural Infrastructure for Drinking Water Supply (RIWAS) – aiming to tackle that.
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