The Ministry of New and Renewable Energy has announced the guidelines for the 'Model Solar Village' initiative under the PM-Surya Ghar: Muft Bijli Yojana, allocating Rs 8 billion to develop solar-powered villages across India. Each chosen village will receive Rs 10 million to enhance its solar energy infrastructure. The initiative aims to establish one Model Solar Village per district, fostering solar energy adoption and enabling these communities to meet their energy needs independently. Eligible villages must be recognized revenue villages with populations over 5,000, or 2,000 in special category states. The selection process will be competitive, with villages assessed on their renewable energy (RE) capacity installed within six months of the announcement by the District Level Committee (DLC). The village with the highest installed RE capacity in each district will receive Rs 10 million in central financial assistance. The scheme will be administered by State/UT Renewable Energy Development Agencies under DLC supervision, with the goal of transforming selected villages into model solar-powered communities. This initiative is part of the broader PM-Surya Ghar: Muft Bijli Yojana, which was approved by the Government of India on February 29, 2024. With a total budget of Rs 750.21 billion, the yojana aims to expand solar rooftop capacity and empower residential households to generate their own electricity by FY 2026-27, supporting India's renewable energy objectives. (ET)