The Gujarat government has announced that Masali village, located near the Pakistan border in Banaskantha district, achieved a milestone by becoming ‘India’s first border solar village’ to be fully powered by solar energy. The village, with 119 households, has successfully installed solar rooftop panels, which collectively generate an impressive 225.5 kW of electricity.
This production exceeds the village’s total energy consumption, marking a step toward self-sufficiency in energy.
The village, situated about 40 kilometres from the Pakistan border and home to around 800 people, has embraced solar power as a sustainable and reliable solution.
The installation project was completed at a total cost of Rs 1.16 crore, with contributions from various stakeholders including the revenue department, Uttar Gujarat Vij Company Limited (UGVCL), banks and solar energy companies.
The state government, in collaboration with the central government, provided subsidies under various schemes to help fund the rooftop solar panel installations.
The success of Masali village in adopting solar energy is not just a local achievement but part of a larger vision to transform rural communities into “self-reliant and solar-powered hubs”.
The state administration has announced plans to extend the solar initiative to other regions. Specifically, 17 villages in the Vav and Suigam talukas have been identified for similar transformation, aiming to turn these communities into fully solar-powered areas.
Magniram Rawal, sarpanch (village head) of Masali, expressed immense pride in the project, highlighting that the adoption of solar energy has resolved long-standing electricity issues.
He noted that the shift to solar power has not only provided reliable electricity to the villagers but also eliminated the financial burden of electricity bills, ensuring a sustainable and cost-effective energy solution for the community.
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