Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday declared Modhera in Gujarat’s Mehsana district as the country’s first 24X7 “solar-powered” village.

Addressing a rally after the function, Modi said Modhera was once subject to countless atrocities of all kinds committed by invaders in the past but is growing now with modernity while retaining its ancient character.

He said Modhera, famous for the Sun temple, will also be known as a solar-powered village.

On the first day of his three-day visit to his home state, where elections are due in December this year, the prime minister inaugurated and laid the foundation stone for multiple projects worth over Rs 3,900 crore at the Modhera event.

The solar project, a first of its kind in the country, realises the Prime Minister’s vision of solarisation of the sun-temple town of Modhera.

It involves developing a ground-mounted solar power plant and more than 1300 rooftop solar systems on residential and government buildings, all integrated with a Battery Energy Storage System (BESS), as per a government release.

“Whenever there will be talks of solar power, Modhera will be the first name to emerge. Because here everything is running on solar power. Whether it is light, farm…. even effort is being made to run buses, vehicles on solar power.

“For a self-reliant India of the 21st century, we have to encourage such efforts for our energy needs. I am working day and night to take the country in the direction of providing (energy security) for Gujarat, the country, and to our coming generation,” said the prime minister.

Modhera is known for the Sun temple situated on the bank of the Pushpavati river. The temple was built after 1026-27 CE during the reign of Bhima I of the Chalukya dynasty.

Shifting to Gujarati intermittently during his speech, Modi said the solar rooftop project will help residents of Modhera not just generate free electricity for their needs but will also help them earn money by selling extra units of electricity to power distributors.

“House owners and farmers have now become owners of electricity factories,” he said.

After the event, the prime minister visited the temple of goddess Modheshwari in Modhera town and performed darshan and pooja. He was accompanied by Gujarat Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel and state BJP chief C R Paatil.

Modi waved at the people standing along both sides of the road on his way to the temple.

The projects dedicated to the nation by the prime minister include a gauge conversion project, ONGC’s Nandasan geological oil production project, an irrigation canal project, road projects, and a building of a regional training centre for Sardar Patel Institute of Public Administration (SPIPA), among others.

He also laid the foundation stone for a new automated milk powder plant and UHT milk carton plant at Dudhsagar Dairy, redevelopment and reconstruction of a government hospital in Mehsana, etc.

I’d urge you all to visit the Sun Temple at Modhera. It will leave a lasting impact on your mind. The beauty of this place has to be seen to be believed. Earlier this evening inaugurated facilities that will enhance the experience for tourists. pic.twitter.com/QzWJxKA8NT

— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) October 9, 2022