The Indian government has issued operational guidelines for the 'Model Solar Village' component of the PM-Surya Ghar: Muft Bijli Yojana, the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE) announced on Monday.
This new scheme aims to establish one model solar village per district across the country to encourage solar energy adoption and help village communities achieve energy self-sufficiency. A total financial allocation of ₹800 crore has been set aside for this initiative, with each selected village receiving ₹1 crore.
The guidelines, notified on August 9, 2024, outline a competitive selection process. Villages will be evaluated based on their overall distributed renewable energy capacity, assessed six months after the district-level committee (DLC) designates potential candidates.
To qualify, villages must be revenue villages with a population exceeding 5,000, or 2,000 in special category states. The scheme will be implemented by State/UT Renewable Energy Development Agencies under the oversight of DLCs, ensuring a smooth transition to solar-powered communities that could serve as models for others nationwide.
The PM-Surya Ghar: Muft Bijli Yojana was approved by the Government of India on February 29, 2024. It aims to boost solar rooftop capacity and empower residential households to generate their own electricity. The scheme, with a total outlay of ₹75,021 crore, is set to run until 2026-27.
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