Leguntapadu, Bitragunta, Mahimaluru, Kalivelapalem, Manubolu, and Kakupalli — have been selected by the district administration for development as Model Solar Villages in the first phase of the scheme.
The initiative focuses on promoting rooftop solar installations and green, pollution-free energy in rural areas with significant populations, aiming to reduce dependence on the conventional power grid and foster energy self-reliance.
Among the six, the village showing the best implementation and adoption of solar projects will be declared Nellore district’s Model Solar Village.
In a significant step towards promoting clean energy and reducing dependence on the conventional power grid, six villages in Sri Potti Sriramulu (SPSR) Nellore district have been selected for development as Model Solar Villages under the Centre's flagship PM Surya Ghar: Muft Bijli Yojana.
The initiative, aimed at generating green, pollution-free solar power in rural areas, will focus on rooftop solar installations to provide free or low-cost electricity to households, with the broader goal of achieving energy self-reliance.
The villages identified for this pilot project are Leguntapadu, Bitragunta,Mahimaluru, Kalivelapalem, Manubolu, and Kakupalli. These locations were chosen by the district administration following a review meeting chaired by Nellore District Collector Himanshu Shukla with officials from the Power Department and other stakeholders.
According to officials, the scheme targets villages with substantial populations to maximize impact. One of the six villages that demonstrates the best implementation and adoption of solar initiatives will be declared Nellore district’s Model Solar Village and receive a special incentive of ₹1 crore from the Union government for overall village development.
Collector Shukla emphasized that the primary objective of the PM Surya Ghar Muft Bijli Yojana is to harness solar energy for sustainable rural electrification, cut down on grid dependency, and lower electricity costs for residents through subsidies and direct benefits of up to 300 units of free power per month for eligible households.
The selection marks a major acceleration in the scheme's rollout in Andhra Pradesh, particularly in Nellore, where awareness campaigns and simplified processes are being intensified to encourage rooftop solar adoption among rural families.
The PM Surya Ghar Muft Bijli Yojana, launched nationally to cover one crore households with rooftop solar systems, offers central financial assistance (CFA) and subsidies (up to ₹78,000 depending on system capacity) to make installations affordable. It aligns with the government's push for renewable energy, financial inclusion, and environmental sustainability.
Local authorities and the New & Renewable Energy Development Corporation of Andhra Pradesh (NREDCAP) are expected to coordinate awareness drives, vendor empanelment, and installation support in the selected villages to ensure rapid progress.
This development comes amid broader state-level targets, including directives to complete lakhs of rooftop solar connections across Andhra Pradesh in the coming months, highlighting the growing momentum behind solar power as a key pillar of rural transformation.
No immediate comments were available from state government spokespersons, but the move has been welcomed as a positive boost for clean energy access in the region.
