Surya Shakti Abhiyan has been launched in Madhya Pradesh for supply of electricity from solar energy to make villages self-reliant. Madhya Pradesh is the first state to launch such a unique campaign in the country.

This is an important step towards fulfilling the dream of Prime Minister Narendra Modi to make the country self-reliant in the field of solar energy. Solar electricity will be used in village street lights, tap-water supply, offices and other works while promoting solar energy in village panchayats.

Under the Jal-Jeevan Mission, the target is to provide one crore household water connections in rural areas, which were only 15 lakh two years ago.

With this, the expenditure on electricity of village Panchayats, which was about 450 crores, is likely to increase to 2 thousand crores. With the help of solar energy, the expenditure of about Rs. 2000 crore on electricity bills in future in the village panchayats of the state can be reduced. This amount can be used for other development works of the village. Along with this, the benefit of carbon credit will also be available to the panchayats.

This campaign will be helpful for increasing the income of Panchayats. In the first phase, 714 village panchayats with a population of more than 5 thousand and all villages with Haat Bazar and all district and Janpad Panchayat offices are being included in Surya Shakti Abhiyan. Apart from these panchayats, other panchayats can also join this campaign.

Principal Secretary Panchayat and Rural Development Umakant Umrao informed that “Surya Shakti Abhiyan” is being started to reduce the dependence on conventional electricity in the operation of various systems at village level in the state.

In this campaign, after estimating the total monthly electricity consumption of district and janpad panchayat offices and village panchayats, plants of solar power generation capacity for its equivalent supply will be set up.

Energy audit of village panchayats is also being done to ensure efficient consumption and production. For expenditure, the amount will be arranged from the 15th finance, state finances and panchayats' own income.

For the campaign, preliminary study was conducted in one each development block of Khargone and Khandwa districts and energy audit of panchayats was also done, based on that DPR of the campaign was prepared.

Training is being given at all levels for better results. In this financial year, a large number of panchayats will be linked to this campaign.

Installation of solar plants in panchayats will ensure regular power supply.

There will be a one-time expenditure on setting up the plant, in which the benefit of subsidy will be given by the government. Under the campaign, energy audit is to be done by October 15, training of panchayats by November 15 and establishment of solar power plants by January 26.

 Such panchayats, which will be able to generate solar energy according to their power consumption, will be rewarded by declaring them as solar rich village panchayats.