Kandulavaripalle panchayat, located in Chandragiri mandal of Tirupati district, which includes Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu’s ancestral village of Naravaripalle, has gained national attention for its efforts in harnessing solar power and promoting environmental protection.

The panchayat bagged ₹1 crore as cash award along with the ‘National Panchayat Award 2026’ under the special category of Climate Action.

The village in Chandragiri mandal abutting Tirupati has a total population of 1,583 from 512 families. While agriculture is the predominant activity, the ‘Climate Action Committee’ formed in the village monitors activities like water conservation, use of renewable energy, natural farming and protection of saplings. The 40 SHGs functioning in the village make it a vibrant example of women’s empowerment.

PM Surya Ghar

In fact, almost all the houses in this village have applied for rooftop solar power connections under ‘PM Surya Ghar.’ As many as 473 rooftop solar connections have been installed in the village at an outlay of ₹5.67 crore, generating a whopping 1.13 lakh units of power per month.

As the power generated exceeds the power collectively consumed by all the households, the surplus is supplied to the grid. Even agricultural borewell connections and street lights are powered by solar energy in the village. Similarly, four beneficiaries have received e-auto rickshaws under PM Ajay, while students are encouraged to use e-bicycles.

While the greening initiatives undertaken in this village include natural farming, drip/sprinkler irrigation, rainwater harvesting through recharge pits and trenches, the panchayat is also ahead in WhatsApp-led governance, paperless administration and use of digital services.

District Panchayat Officer D. Suseela Devi, who attributed the award to the initiative of Panchayat Raj Commissioner Krishna Teja Mylavarapu and Collector S. Venkateswar, offered to replicate the success story in many more villages in the district.