Centre allocates Rs 8 billion for solar villages under PM-Surya Ghar

13 Aug 2024 CW Team

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)

Real Estate

05 Sep 2025

Vitizen Hotels Signs Deal at Manyata Tech Park

Vikram Kamats Hospitality, as part of its ongoing expansion in key metropolitan markets, announced that its material subsidiary, Vitizen Hotels, has signed a long-term lease agreement for a 45-key hotel property at Manyata Tech Park, Bengaluru.Strategically located in the city’s prominent IT hub, the property is well-positioned to serve corporate travelers, business professionals, and long-stay guests. The addition aligns with the company’s asset-light growth model, leveraging long-term leases to expand its footprint in high-demand urban markets.The hotel is expected to strengthen the comp..

CONCOR Signs MoU with BPIPL to Operate Container Terminal at Bhavnagar Port

Container Corporation of India (CONCOR) has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Bhavnagar Port Infrastructure (BPIPL) on September 4, 2025, in New Delhi to operate and maintain the upcoming container terminal at the northside of Bhavnagar Port, Gujarat.BPIPL had earlier entered into an agreement with the Gujarat Maritime Board (GMB) in September 2024 for the port’s development. Under this arrangement, 235 hectares of land has been leased to BPIPL for 30 years, with provision for expansion by an additional 250 hectares.The new terminal is expected to significantly enhance logistic..

Concord Launches India’s First Indigenous Zero-Emission Rail Propulsion

Concord Control Systems (CCSL), a leader in embedded electronics and critical rail technologies, has announced the development of India’s first fully indigenous zero-emission propulsion system, marking a significant step toward the country’s railway electrification and net-zero goals for 2030.Powered by Lithium Iron Phosphate (LFP) batteries and featuring a DC chopper-based drive, the propulsion system eliminates idling losses common in diesel engines, offering higher efficiency, lower costs, and zero emissions.What sets this innovation apart is its completely indigenous design. Except for..