With the goals stated at the COP26 climate summit, India is working to become a carbon-neutral nation. How will this be accomplished? Individual districts and states will be able to meet the targets if they work together to expand on the existing model for long-term sustainability. In line with this, the Palli village in the Samba region of Jammu & Kashmir’s Union Territory is slated to become the first carbon-free solar panchayat. From solar chulhas to electric bus rides, the fight to make the union territory carbon-neutral is on. The village is powered entirely by solar energy, with all records digitized and all Central initiatives completely utilized.
Transformation of the village
Palli has undergone a complete transformation, from macadamized roads to the recently established electric bus service. A 500 KW solar plant with a total size of 6,408 square meters has been installed at a record speed. Under the national government’s ‘Gram Urja Swraj’ program, the plant will be responsible for providing clean electricity to approximately 340 homes. The solar installation would provide enough electricity to meet the daily needs of 2,000 Palli village residents.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Praise for the Initiative
“Today, we are taking a major step towards our ‘Glasgow’ goal of making India carbon-neutral. With the inauguration of a 500 KW solar power plant at Palli, it will make it the first panchayat to become carbon neutral,” PM Modi said.
“I talked about ‘Sabka Vikas’ from the stands of Red Fort, but Palli has shown me the true power of ‘Sabka Prayas’,” he said. He further added, “it would take three weeks to move a ‘sarkari’ file from Delhi to Jammu and Kashmir, but the 500 KW solar plant at the country’s first carbon-neutral panchayat was finished in a record speed of three weeks with the help of villagers.”
The project was completed at a cost of ₹2.75 crores in a record time, officials were quoted as saying by news agency PTI. “It is a red-letter day for us. With the blessing of Modi ji, the village has entered into the history of India as the first carbon-neutral solar village. We thank the prime minister for choosing this hamlet across the country,” Palli villager Gurdeep Singh said.
Inauguration of Development Projects world Rs. 20,000 Crores
On the occasion of National Panchayati Raj Diwas, Prime Minister Narendra Modi spoke to India’s gram sabhas from Palli village in Jammu. On his first big visit to Jammu and Kashmir since the repeal of Article 370, Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated and set the groundwork for a slew of development projects totaling Rs 20,000 crore in the Union Territory related to connectivity and electricity. These projects in turn, will provide huge employment opportunities to the youth of Jammu and Kashmir.
