In Maharashtra, new initiative of using solar energy for the dual pump scheme under the National Rural Drinking Water Supply Programme has proved very effective and beneficial for the remote villages like Rampur in the Naxal-affected Gadchiroli district.AIR correspondent reports that the life of the local populace in Rampur village in Yevli Gram Panchayat under Gadchiroli taluka has changed for the better as they do not have to go miles to fetch potable and safe drinking water since last few months.The dual pump scheme which runs on solar energy has been proved as a big boon for them and now they are able to get clean and safe drinking water at home through the pipelines. The solar energy option has been chosen because the district does not have proper water supply schemes to provide water to the people through the coordinated pipelines and the erratic and inadequate power supply is also a major concern in these areas.With this, there is no drinking water problem even during the summer and it comes as a great relief especially the women who do not have to toil in the scorching sun to fetch water.The scheme was inaugurated at the hands of Maharashtra Home Minister and Guardian Minister of the district Mr. R. R. Patil at Rampur and it has also been implemented in thirty five more villages in the district so far.In all, more than three hundred villages have been selected in the district for this purpose. But, it has not been possible to extend the benefits of this scheme to the needy population in large number due to various factors including remote and hardly accessible location and the Naxal menace.