Joshi Highlights Modhera as India's First Solar Village
Synopsis
Union Minister Pralhad Joshi amplified PM Modi's Mann Ki Baat spotlight on Modhera, Gujarat — India's first 24x7 solar-powered village — framing it as a national sustainability benchmark and a model for decentralised renewable energy rollout across rural India.
Key Takeaways
Modhera , in Mehsana district, Gujarat , is India's first village to run entirely on solar energy.
The village was inaugurated as a solar village in 2022 with a 1 MW ground-mounted solar plant and household rooftop installations.
PM Narendra Modi highlighted Modhera's achievement in his Mann Ki Baat radio address.
Union Minister Pralhad Joshi shared the spotlight on September 27, 2026 , calling it 'an inspiring example of sustainability.' India is targeting 500 GW of non-fossil fuel power capacity by 2030 under the National Solar Mission.
Modhera's decentralised model is seen as a replicable blueprint for solar-powering rural communities nationwide.
A small village in Gujarat is quietly powering a big national ambition. Union Minister for New and Renewable Energy Pralhad Joshi on Sunday, September 27, 2026, drew attention to Modhera in Mehsana district, Gujarat — India's first village to run entirely on solar energy — after Prime Minister Narendra Modi spotlighted the achievement in his monthly radio address, Mann Ki Baat.
How Modhera Became a 24x7 Solar Village
Modhera, already renowned for its ancient Sun Temple, took on a modern solar identity when the central government inaugurated it as India's first fully solar-powered village in 2022. The project combined a 1 MW ground-mounted solar plant with rooftop installations across households, enabling round-the-clock renewable power supply — a feat that had eluded most rural communities on the grid.
Every home in the village draws electricity generated by the sun. Surplus power fed back into the grid has, in several cases, meant residents receive near-zero electricity bills — a detail that has made Modhera a reference point in conversations about energy equity and decentralised power.
PM Modi's Mann Ki Baat Endorsement
The Prime Minister's decision to feature Modhera in Mann Ki Baat is consistent with the programme's role as a platform for showcasing grassroots sustainability successes. Minister Joshi, sharing the highlight on X, called the village 'an inspiring example of sustainability for the nation' — a framing that connects the local achievement to India's wider climate commitments.
India has set an ambitious target of 500 GW of non-fossil fuel capacity by 2030 under the National Solar Mission. Projects like Modhera represent the shift from vast utility-scale solar parks to community-scale, decentralised generation — a model that could be replicated in thousands of energy-poor villages across the country.
Gujarat's Role in India's Solar Story
Gujarat has been at the forefront of India's renewable energy push, consistently ranking among the top states for solar capacity addition. The state hosts large-scale solar parks as well as distributed projects, making Modhera less an outlier and more a proof-of-concept for what targeted policy investment can achieve at the village level.
The question now is whether the Modhera model travels — to Rajasthan, Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh, and beyond. With Pralhad Joshi helming both the Consumer Affairs and New and Renewable Energy portfolios, the political will to replicate such models is visible. Whether the budgetary and logistical machinery follows at scale is the next chapter of this story.
Point of View
Photogenic proof point for India's clean-energy transition arriving just as the 2030 renewable targets come under closer international scrutiny. For Minister Joshi, amplifying it reinforces his stewardship of the renewables portfolio and signals continuity with the government's solar-first narrative. The deeper policy question is whether Modhera remains a celebrated singular model or seeds a genuine programme for replicating solar villages at scale — the gap between showcase and system-wide change is where this story will be judged.
NationPress
27 Sept 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
What is special about Modhera village in Gujarat?
Modhera in Mehsana district, Gujarat, is India's first village to run entirely on solar energy, powered by a 1 MW solar plant and rooftop installations inaugurated in 2022 .
When did Modhera become a solar village?
Modhera was inaugurated as India's first fully solar-powered village in 2022 under central government support, combining a ground-mounted solar plant with household rooftop systems.
What did PM Modi say about Modhera in Mann Ki Baat?
PM Narendra Modi highlighted Modhera as the country's first solar village in a Mann Ki Baat episode, calling it an inspiring example of sustainability — a reference subsequently amplified by Minister Pralhad Joshi .
What is India's solar energy target for 2030?
India aims to achieve 500 GW of non-fossil fuel power capacity by 2030 under the National Solar Mission, with village-level projects like Modhera contributing to decentralised generation goals.
Who is Pralhad Joshi and what is his role in renewable energy?
Pralhad Joshi is the Union Minister for New and Renewable Energy as well as Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution — a senior BJP leader from Karnataka overseeing India's clean-energy transition.
