PANAJI
Tivim village in Bardez taluka and Dabolim village in Mormugao taluka have emerged as the State’s “Model Solar Villages”, making them eligible for central grants of Rs 1 crore each to promote solar energy adoption and achieve energy self-reliance.
The two villages outperformed 13 others -- seven from North Goa and six from South Goa -- in the final round of the competition. While an official announcement is awaited, sources confirmed that Tivim and Dabolim were selected based on their highest solar power generation during the assessment period.
The Goa Energy Development Agency (GEDA) has already initiated the process of preparing Detailed Project Reports (DPRs) for both villages. This includes finalising an empanelled consultant under the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE) to guide the transition towards energy self-sufficiency.
The competition, launched by GEDA in April last year, saw participation from 63 villages with populations exceeding 5,000, as per the latest Census data. Out of these, 15 villages advanced to the final round held in February this year.
In North Goa, the shortlisted villages included Corgao, Dhargalim, Tivim, Chorao, Ela, Carambolim, Latambarcem and Mayem. From South Goa, Betora, Shiroda, Dabolim, Loutolim, Velim, Cola and Poinguinim made it to the final stage.
The State government had set a deadline of June 30, 2025, to maximise renewable energy installations across the selected villages.
Officials said that after a six-month competition period, the implementing agency conducted a comprehensive assessment of the total distributed renewable energy (RE) capacity within each village. This included rooftop solar installations, ground-mounted small-scale projects under PM-KUSUM, and standalone RE systems of less than 10 MW capacity.
“The selection was based on the highest addition of prosumers and rooftop solar photovoltaic (PV) capacity during the competition period,” an official said.
The initiative is part of the Centre’s broader push under the Pradhan Mantri Surya Ghar Muft Bijli Yojana, which aims to develop one model solar village in each district across the country. The winning villages receive a financial incentive of Rs 1 crore to strengthen solar infrastructure.
The scheme seeks to promote clean and green energy access in rural areas, reduce dependence on conventional power sources, and enable communities to generate electricity locally, thereby lowering energy costs and enhancing sustainability.
