Development Alternatives Group

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Development Alternatives Group

40 years of delivering EcoSolutions. www.devalt.org

The mission of the Development Alternatives Group is to promote inclusive, equitable and resilient national development, through the creation of sustainable livelihoods on a large scale. Through clean technology packages, micro-enterprise solutions and collaborative institutional ecosystems, we bridge practice and policy, and work with partners to mobilise widespread action to eradicate poverty an

d regenerate the environment. DA's work addresses the three poly-crises of our times - Jobs, Resources and Climate - through impact in three areas: Livelihood Security & Inclusive Entrepreneurship, Resource Efficiency & Circular Economy and Climate Change & Ecosystem Restoration. The organisation has built up a strong capacity to identify priority issues confronting the nation and devise effective ways to solve them. It brings together over 120 professionals with a wide range of skills and backgrounds but a common, spirited commitment to excellence and teamwork.

08/09/2025

| In this month's events digest, we saw empowerment and resilience take many forms. From Sam-Udyam partners co-creating pathways for women and youth entrepreneurs, to Lakhpati Didis representing rural enterprise at the Red Fort on Independence Day.

From eco-friendly banana fibre crafts showcased at Monsoon Mélange in Delhi, to citizen scientists in Patna using hyperlocal data to push climate action. Our teams also advanced low-carbon cement research in Oman, while Bundelkhand witnessed both a district water resilience plan and community-led Independence Day celebrations that linked freedom with responsibility for natural resources.

Each story is a reminder that systemic change begins when local voices, innovation, and collaboration converge.

Click here to read this month's digest: https://devalt.org/DA-Digest/digest-august-2025

06/09/2025

Transformation in rural India through social innovation approach, which is rooted in listening, co-creating, prototyping and accelerating with communities, builds resilient ecosystems.

At Development Alternatives, we have seen how this works in practice. We begin by listening to women’s aspirations and the challenges they face in building livelihoods. Together, we then co-create systemic solutions/ prototypes — from brave spaces and peer-to-peer networks to enterprise hubs and collective forums — that are owned and led by women themselves.

These small beginnings embed into women’s institutions: resilient, self-sustaining structures that channel finance, host entrepreneurial support, nurture leadership, and anchor local ecosystems.

Learn more about our social innovation approach - https://drive.google.com/file/d/1oQoxumvDHfNeZm6pompHc_mR4Vu_8YI0/view

03/09/2025

| From farming struggles to running a thriving kiosk, Amit Gautam’s journey shows how the udyaME Kiosk Prototype is more than just a service hub, it’s a launchpad for rural entrepreneurship.

With over 100 customers a day and ₹35,000+ in monthly earnings, Amit is not only supporting his family but also empowering his community.

To know more about udyaME click: https://imedf.in/udyaME

02/09/2025

| This month’s Development Alternatives blog, authored by Shrashtant Patara, CEO of Development Alternatives, focuses on The Non-Farm Imperative: Rural Women Entrepreneurs and the 2030 Jobs Mission.

The piece highlights the profound shift underway in rural India, where women are emerging as entrepreneurs, job creators, and community leaders within the non-farm economy.

It showcases how Development Alternatives, in partnership with the Uttar Pradesh State Rural Livelihood Mission (UPSRLM), is building entrepreneurial ecosystems that allow women-led enterprises to thrive at scale.

By strengthening women’s institutions, advancing systemic prototypes, and fostering innovative green manufacturing hubs, the blog explores how women are driving inclusive growth and contributing to the 2030 jobs mission.

To Read: https://perspectives.devalt.org/2025/08/30/the-non-farm-imperative-rural-women-entrepreneurs-and-the-2030-jobs-mission/

01/09/2025

| This month’s Development Alternatives' Newsletter focuses on driving non-farm livelihoods through women-led entrepreneurship.

Read the editorial to explore India's evolving rural employment landscape. Discover how women’s participation increases labour force inclusion, strengthens local economies, and fosters inclusive growth. Learn about the significant impact of women-led entrepreneurship on rural economies in India. Understand the importance of accessible finance, technology, and training in enabling rural women. Additionally, find out why women's collectives are crucial for promoting rural entrepreneurship.

To read, click here: https://devalt.org/newsletter/81

29/08/2025

A new milestone in DA’s journey of Greening of Industry!

At the National Conference on Fly Ash Utilisation and Transportation held on 25th Aug, jointly organised by NTPC and Indian Railways, Development Alternatives (DA) presented its case study on “Fly Ash in Bihar”, showing how waste can truly be turned into wealth.

With the guidance of the Bihar State Pollution Control Board, and the support of the Department of Environment, Forest and Climate Change, mentored by Additional Chief Secretary Shri. Dipak Kumar Singh, IAS, DA has worked over the last decade to mainstream fly ash bricks in Bihar. From just 1 unit in 2006, the state today has 516 units (2023).

Yet, the challenge remains large. Bihar has 7,757 traditional brick kilns, employing 77 lakh people, generating revenues of ₹14,000 crore annually, and emitting nearly 12.6 million tonnes of CO₂ each year.

To support the Government of Bihar’s carbon neutrality vision by 2070, aligned with the call of Hon’ble Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi, DA has drawn up a plan to transform the sector. With enabling policies and scalable partnerships, Bihar can scale to 4,000 fly ash units, repurpose 12 million tonnes of fly ash annually, generate 40,000 green jobs, and save 6.4 million tonnes of CO₂ emissions every year.

The ecosystem is already delivering impact: in Muzaffarpur alone (2023), DA-enabled enterprises produced 53 million bricks from 23 units, repurposed 0.8 million tonnes of fly ash, and created 260 local jobs.

This is not a pilot, it is a scalable model of just transition, ready to be replicated across India.

Together with partners, present and future, DA is committed to driving resource-efficient growth and a carbon-neutral future.

28/08/2025

Through the Local Institution & SDG Action programme, women like Moharmani are transforming rural economies from within. By strengthening Self Help Groups, linking communities to finance, and building entrepreneurial capacities, we enable local institutions to drive sustainable growth. From a single shop to three thriving businesses, Moharmani’s journey shows how grassroots leadership can unlock livelihoods, dignity, and resilience for entire villages.

26/08/2025

Sam-Udyam is an evolving ecosystem where communities, government, corporate, and civil society work together to build new micro-economies rooted in equitable growth and social well-being. Through , we are weaving these diverse strengths into a single collective mission: accelerating through grassroots .

Our recent partner gathering at DA Headquarters marked yet another milestone in this journey. It was a space for listening, learning, knowledge sharing and co-creating along with mapping opportunities, addressing challenges, and identifying areas of convergence with each of our partners.

Together with Gram Vaani, Manviya Drishtikon Sewa Samiti (MDSS), Swami Vivekanand Shiksha Sansthan (SVSS), National Association of Street Vendors of India (NASVI), Givfunds and Haqdarshak, we deepened our collective understanding of how digital access, finance, and market linkages can be aligned to strengthen entrepreneurial pathways.

This is the power of systemic convergence over isolated interventions. By building on each partner’s strengths and uniting them under a shared vision, we are creating an environment where women and don’t just find opportunities to survive, but to grow, thrive, and lead sustainable change in their communities.

20/08/2025

Two ponds in Sidipur, Gautam Budhha Nagar have been rejuvenated under our Natural Ecosystem Restoration initiative with HCL Foundation Foundation. Once filled with waste and mosquitoes, they are now thriving with fish, geese, and turtles. The community calls it a reminder of shared responsibility—protecting clean, living spaces for people and nature alike

18/08/2025

This Independence Day, India celebrated the transformative power of women's institutions, by honoring Lakhpati Didis at the Red Fort as part of the celebrations. Among them were three remarkable women entrepreneurs from Uttar Pradesh - Nirmala, Shashibala, and Santoshi - who stood as living examples of the national vision.

These proud represent more than individual success stories. They embody India’s vision where "when women become financially independent, they start contributing in important decision-making in their families and become guarantors and custodians of social transformation."

Their journey from their villages to the nation's capital as Special Guests represents the power of enabling ecosystems for women entrepreneurship. Development Alternatives, with support from UPSRLM and Gates Foundation, is working towards creating ecosystems wherein these women stand as architects of a new rural economy, representing every village entrepreneur who dares to dream beyond traditional boundaries.

15/08/2025

On the occasion of Independence Day, Sidipur celebrated not just the nation’s freedom, but also its ongoing journey in the Natural Ecosystem Restoration programme led by Development Alternatives in partnership with HCL Foundation.

With 75 children and women joining in, the day became a blend of celebration and action—a spirited Community Jal Chaupal on protecting village ponds, a lively Storytelling Competition where children brought the pond’s beauty to life through sketches, and an award ceremony honouring the best herbarium made by students of the Government Primary School.

A focused capacity-building session with the Talab Samiti reinforced that true restoration begins with community ownership, inspiring members to take responsibility for safeguarding their ponds for generations to come.

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