Six villages in Nellore district have been chosen for development as Model Solar Villages under the PM Surya Ghar Muft Bijli Yojana, marking a significant step towards promoting renewable energy in rural areas. The initiative has been launched by the central and state governments and is intended to expand rooftop solar systems and other village level solar facilities. In the first phase Leguntapadu, Bitragunta, Mahimaluru, Kalivelapalem, Manubolu and Kakupalli have been identified for comprehensive development.

Under the project every household will receive solar powered home lighting systems and solar pumps will be installed to meet agricultural needs. Water supply systems and streetlights will be powered by solar energy to reduce dependence on conventional sources and strengthen local infrastructure. The programme targets villages with populations above 5,000 according to the latest census.

The district collector Himanshu Shukla said the programme is designed to boost the use of green pollution free energy and make villages more self reliant in power generation. He noted that improving electricity systems and ensuring solar connections for every household are key objectives and that technical and administrative support will be marshalled. Officials will prioritise household connections and pump installations to ensure agricultural and domestic needs are addressed.

The village that demonstrates the best performance among the six will be declared the district Model Solar Village and awarded Rs 10 million (mn) by the central government for overall development. Officials plan to conduct awareness campaigns through Swarna ward and Swarna village offices and mandal level officers have been instructed to give special attention to the programme. Implementation timelines and monitoring mechanisms will be put in place to track progress and guide corrective action where required.