Banaskantha, Dec 18 (IANS) In a significant milestone for the country’s solar energy program, the Masali village in Gujarat’s Banaskantha district has become the country’s first ‘solar village’ on the border.
The village with a total population of 800 is situated at a distance of 40 km from the Pakistan border.
The village with a scarce population has found itself in the spotlight over achieving 100 per cent solar power generation.
Solar panels have been installed on the rooftops of all 199 houses in the village, at an estimated cost of about Rs 1.16 crore.
These 119 homes are receiving a total of 225.5 kilowatts of electricity, which is more than each home’s requirement.
The entire project worth Rs 1.16 crore has been completed with cooperation from the Revenue Department, UGVCL, Bank and Solar Company.
The project received a subsidy of Rs 59.81 lakh under PM Surya Ghar Muft Bijli Yojana, public contribution of Rs 20.52 lakh and CSR of Rs 35.67 lakh.
Banaskantha District Administration and Collector Mihir Patel said that the Masali village of Suigam taluk has earned the rare honour of being the first ‘solar village’ in the border area.
A committee was formed under the chairmanship of DC Mihir Patel with the aim of providing 24-hour electricity in the villages, situated on the border. The scheme was started to turn 11 villages of Saradhi Vav Taluka and 6 villages of Suigam Taluka and a total of 17 villages into ‘solar-powered centers’.
Mihir Patel said that it was a matter of pride and joy that Masali had earned the title of second solar village after Modhera in the state and the first on the border.
Sarpanch Maganiram Rawal and village heads of Masali Gram Panchayat said that the problem of electricity in the village has been eliminated due to solar energy.
Notably, the PM Surya Ghar Muft Bijli Yojana is the world’s largest domestic rooftop solar initiative aimed at transforming India’s energy landscape with solar-panel powered energy to over one crore households by March 2027.
–IANS
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