Pavement hawkers at Gandhi Square can rent a solar lamp for Rs.10 per evening. Using kerosene lamp costs them Rs.25. An inverter entails an investment of Rs.11,000. Apparently, a solar lamp makes sound business sense for the hawkers, entrepreneurs Jayaram and Rajendra, who have set up the solar lamp hiring agency, and the State Bank of Mysore which advanced them the capital. SBM chief manager K P Pradyumna says the bank has been able to recover 20 percent of the advanced amount within three months.

Source - Sharath S Srivatsa in 'The Hindu' (June 30, 2005)