After Modi praise, Kanpur woman hopes for 'achche din'

Lucknow: For 55-year-old Noor Jehan of Kanpur, life appears to have taken a 360 degree turn ever since Prime Minister Narendra Modi mentioned her in his monthly radio talk on Sunday.

The widow, who has been renting out solar lamps to people in her village at Rs 100 a month, told newspersons on Monday that she was "extremely happy that Modiji mentioned her name" . 

She said it had given her a "big moral boost" to carry on with her work.

Her house in Beri Dariyawan village had a steady trickle of media persons, politicians, officials and BJP leaders after Modi took her name to state how common people in their own little ways were contributing to energy conservation and efficiency. 

The prime minister went on to say that the illiterate but enterprising woman was living up to her name Noor Jehan, which means sprading light in the world.

Noor Jehan began her solar power work about three years ago when an NGO gave her a rechargeable lamp and a solar plate so that she could use to educate her children.

Soon after, Noor Jehan decided to rent it out to her neighbours as there was no power and the lamp was in high demand. 

The enterprise soon clicked. With the help of the NGO, the solar lamps and plates multiplied. She now has 50 lamps and four solar plates.

With praise from none other than the prime minister, Noor Jehan is now looking for financial assistance from the Uttar Pradesh government. It can help her further expand the work of solar lamps. 

"If I get financial aid, this work can be expanded on a large scale to nearby villages too."