Digital lottery launched for PM’s free solar scheme in Gilgit

The federal government’s free solar scheme took off in Gilgit on Thursday with a digital lottery to select applicants for the programme, according to an official statement. Gilgit-Baltistan (G-B) Caretaker Chief Minister Justice (R) Yar Muhammad officially inaugurated the lottery, which employs a transparent digital system to ensure fair selection of beneficiaries. Under the scheme, a total of 58 megawatts (MW) of solar systems will be provided, including 40MW for domestic users and 18MW for small businesses and IT-related organisations. Faced with chronic power outages, communities in Gilgit-Baltistan are increasingly turning to solar energy to overcome the region’s electricity crisis. Read: ECNEC greenlights 100MW solar project for Gilgit-Baltistan Pilot projects such as the Accelerate Clean Energy (ACE) initiative, supported by AKRSP and HBL Microfinance Bank, have provided rooftop solar systems to households, enabling steady electricity for daily tasks, education, and domestic use, according to the statement. Beyond homes, solar energy is being used to support local economies and agriculture. Solar-powered Digital Technology Hubs, lift irrigation systems, and passive solar greenhouses are helping maintain connectivity, cultivate crops, and secure food supplies despite harsh winters and grid failures, it added. The statement further said these initiatives, alongside over 160 micro-hydropower plants supplying 18MW to more than 30,000 households, demonstrate the region’s potential for decentralised, climate-resilient energy solutions. Provincial ministers welcomed the initiative, describing it as a significant step to benefit the people of Gilgit-Baltistan. G-B Additional Chief Secretary Mushtaq Ahmed said the scheme aims to promote alternative energy, reduce the electricity crisis, and support environmentally friendly power solutions, while ensuring fair distribution to eligible applicants. He added that the project would also contribute to the region’s economic and social development, highlighting its importance in addressing energy shortages and promoting sustainable growth. Read More: PM orders completion of 100MW G-B solar project in one year The G-B government has proposed a strategic distribution and transportation plan for 144,875 solar panels with a cumulative production capacity of 58.8MW, divided into four primary streams. During discussions in a recent meeting of the Economic Coordination Committee (ECC), the Ministry of Kashmir Affairs, G-B, and States and Frontier Regions presented the background of the proposal. The G-B chief secretary supported the plan, citing unprecedented load-shedding and environmental concerns as justification. The FBR clarified that, under the Customs Act, 1969, confiscated goods become the property of the federal government, and their distribution can proceed with official approval. The ECC decided that the consolidated transportation and handling cost of Rs240.1 million would be borne by the G-B government and subsequently recovered from the beneficiaries.

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