Centre issues guidelines for 'model solar village’ under PM-Surya Ghar scheme
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The Union government has released guidelines for the implementation of a ‘model solar village’ under PM-Surya Ghar: Muft Bijli Yojana, the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy said on Monday.
The scheme guidelines notified by the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy lays emphasis on creating one model solar village per district across India.
This is aimed at promoting solar energy adoption and enabling village communities to become self-reliant in meeting their energy needs, the ministry said.
“A total financial outlay of Rs. 800 crore has been allocated for this component, providing Rs 1 crore per selected model solar village,” it added.
Launched on February 29, with an outlay of Rs. 75,021 crore, the PM Surya Ghar: Muft Bijli Yojana aims to increase the share of solar rooftop capacity and empower residential households to generate their own electricity.
To be selected, a village must have a revenue 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 capacity installed six months after the declaration of the potential candidate by the District Level Committee (DLC).
After the identification of these villages, the competition period shall start, and an extensive mobilisation exercise including reaching out door to door to prospective beneficiaries of the scheme.
It will be carried out in these villages under the leadership of the respective Panchayats.
“The village with the maximum overall renewable energy capacity deployed within its revenue boundaries as per the assessment exercise, (achieved with or without governmental scheme support), shall be selected as the model solar village for the District,” the ministry said.
Once selected, the State Renewable Energy Development Agency shall act as the Model Solar Village Implementing Agency (MSVIA).
It will then develop a detailed project report for transitioning the village to a solar-powered village, the ministry said.
