58MW solar installations to be allocated to households and small businesses under government initiative
Caretaker Chief Minister of Gilgit-Baltistan, Justice (R) Yar Muhammad, officially inaugurated the Digital Lottery in Gilgit on March 12, 2026 (Screengrab)
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 (GB) Acting Chief Minister Justice (R) Yar Muhammad officially inaugurated the lottery, which uses a transparent digital system to ensure fair selection of beneficiaries.
Under the scheme, a total of 58 megawatt (MW) solar installations will be delivered, including 40 MW to private users and 18 MW to 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 power 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 constant electricity for daily tasks, education and household use, according to the statement.
In addition to housing, solar energy is used to support local economies and agriculture. Solar-powered digital technology hubs, lift irrigation systems and passive solar greenhouses help maintain connectivity, grow crops and secure food supplies despite harsh winters and grid failures, it added.
The statement further said that these initiatives, along with over 160 micro-hydro plants supplying 18MW to more than 30,000 households, demonstrate the region’s potential for decentralized, climate-resilient energy solutions.
Provincial ministers welcomed the initiative and described it as an important step for the benefit of the people of Gilgit-Baltistan.
GB Additional Chief Secretary Mushtaq Ahmed said the scheme aims to promote alternative energy, reduce the electricity crisis and support environment-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, underscoring its importance in addressing energy shortages and promoting sustainable growth.
Read more: PM orders completion of 100MW GB solar project in one year
The UK government has proposed a strategic distribution and transport plan for 144,875 solar panels with a cumulative generation capacity of 58.8 MW, divided into four primary streams.
During discussions at a recent meeting of the Economic Coordination Committee (ECC), the Ministry of Kashmir Affairs, UK and Border States and Regions presented the background to the proposal. The GB chief secretary backed the plan, citing unprecedented load shedding and environmental concerns as reasons.
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 transport and handling charges of Rs240.1 million. would be borne by the British Government and subsequently recovered from the beneficiaries.
