ISLAMABAD, Feb 25: Ministry of Science and Technology has approved a Rs28.58 million solar energy project for electrification of rural areas across the country.

Federal Minister for Science and Technology Chaudhry Nouraiz Shakoor said the project titled 'Electrification of mosques and schools in remote rural areas through solar energy' would be executed by the Pakistan Council of Renewable Energy Technologies, Islamabad.

He said under the project, 120 PV systems would be installed to electrify same number of mosques and schools in rural areas across the country. The project suggests a 200 Watts PV system for each mosque to power four lights (20W), an amplifier and two fans (80W).

While for a school, the PV system is of 400 Watts to power one light, one computer and two fans. The minister said those villages would be selected which had no electricity and were not on the government's priority list for at least next 20 years.