In an ambitious new effort to promote solar energy aimed to reduce dependence of conventional energy amidst climate change threats, the Centre is launching a competitive “challenge” under the PM Surya Ghar Yojana (PMSY) to designate Model Solar Villages.

In this regard, the Government has announced a central financial assistance grant of Rs one crore to the winning hamlet in each district with the highest renewable energy capacity. “The goal is to promote solar energy use and help villages become self-reliant in meeting their energy needs,” said an official from the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy. The incentive comes under the 'Model Solar Village' initiative under the PM-Surya Ghar: Muft Bijli Yojana for which the Guidelines for implementation of 'Model Solar Village' under PM-Surya Ghar: Muft Bijli Yojana were notified by the Ministry on August 9, 2024.”

The initiative aims to inspire and support villages across India to transition to solar power and serve as models for sustainable energy practices,” said the official.

This scheme, which aims to expand off-grid solar solutions, is part of a comprehensive approach with three key components: enhancing solar installations on residential properties, commercial/industrial/Government buildings, and creating Model Solar Villages.

Through this challenge, villages will compete for a central financial grant, designed to accelerate their transition to solar power and establish them as beacons of sustainable energy adoption.

This initiative not only seeks to boost solar energy use but also to inspire other communities to follow suit, added the official.

In order to be considered a village under the competition mode, a village must be a revenue village with a population size above 5,000 (or 2,000 for special category states).

The selection process involves a competitive mode where villages are assessed on their overall distributed renewable energy (RE) capacity installed 6 months after the declaration of the potential candidate by the District Level Committee (DLC).

The Government had given go ahead to the PM-Surya Ghar: Muft Bijli Yojana in February this year, with the aim to increase the share of solar rooftop capacity and empower residential households to generate their own electricity. The scheme has an outlay of Rs 75,021 crore and is to be implemented till fiscal 2026-27.