In a move towards sustainable development, as many as 25 government schools in Udupi district will be powered by solar energy.

This initiative promulgated by Selco India (a social energy enterprise) in association with a Bengaluru-based Can Fin Homes aims at promoting green energy and improving the infrastructure of the rural education ecosystem and thereby transforming the lives of the students.

The education department has already given its nod for this project of generating renewable energy, stated a report by The New Indian Express.

At government schools especially in rural areas, the power cut is a major problem. To prepare the mid-day meal, run a pump set for drawing the water from the well, and for operating the computers, an uninterrupted power supply is needed.

The solar panels to be installed in the 25 government schools will ensure an uninterrupted power supply, ensuring classes will run smoothly without any disruptions. The schools to be selected for this project will be mostly in rural areas of the district, sources said.

The two organisations which are getting the solar energy to 25 government schools have already installed solar panels on the rooftops of government schools in Haklady and Kakkunje.

The authorities at the government higher primary school in Kakkunje near Brahmavara said that school is functioning entirely on solar energy and they are saving Rs 3,000 per month on electricity bills. The computer lab and science lab are also functioning through solar energy in this school.

Sources informed that by the end of academic year 2024-25, the 25 government schools in the district will have their solar panels installed and the issue of unreliable electricity would have been addressed head-on.

Shekhar Shetty, area manager, Selco India said that solar panels will be installed in two or three government schools by the end of this month and all 25 schools will be covered by the end of this academic year in a phased manner.

K Ganapathi, Deputy Director of Public Instruction (DDPI), Udupi said that schools in rural areas can be empowered by making them self-reliant on the energy front. Gradually more government schools will see merit in it and may opt for solar energy, he said, stated The New Indian Express report.

The identifying of the schools, installation and maintenance will be done by Selco India, while funding support will be done by Can Fin Homes for this project.