Very soon the 17 villages at the border of Gurdaspur district will have enough solar power to fulfil their electricity needs as a project is on the anvil under the National Solar Mission. Sanjeev Malhan the Punjab Energy Development Agency (PEDA) vice-chairman said that the Centrally- sponsored solar project will cost Rs 5.4 crore, while the Centre has released the funds for the project, which would provide solar electricity to 17 Gurdaspur villages, similar solar projects would be launched shortly in Amritsar, Tarn Taran and Ferozepur districts.

90% of the total funds required for this green project will be paid by the centre, while 10% each will be contributed by the village Panchayats.

The villages where the solar power will be distributed were being shortlisted, while tenders for laying cables for solar power distribution were being floated. The project cost for every selected village would be Rs 30 lakh, Malhan said.