Masli in Banaskantha, Gujarat, has been hailed as the first ‘border solar village’ in India, marking a new milestone in the country’s renewable energy journey.

Masali, a village in Gujarat’s Banaskantha district, has become India’s first “border solar village” after completing a solar rooftop project under the Pradhan Mantri Surya Ghar Muft Bijli Yojana. The project, implemented at a cost of Rs 1.16 crore, covered all 199 households in the village. The scheme is part of the government’s efforts to make the country self-reliant in the energy sector and promote sustainable energy. The project was implemented with a subsidy from the government, public contribution, and corporate social responsibility funds. The village now has a total 225.5 kilowatts of electricity production, exceeding its requirements. The project has addressed the issue of electricity supply shortage, according to the village sarpanch. Masali is the second solar village in the state, after Modhera, and the first in a border area. The Pradhan Mantri Surya Ghar Muft Bijli Yojana aims to provide solar power to one crore households by March 2027. The initiative is a joint effort between the central and state governments to promote renewable energy.