Yogi government will make 17 metropolitan cities along with Ayodhya-Varanasi also solar cities
RL Pandey Lucknow. The Yogi government, which is promoting solar energy in Uttar Pradesh, will also develop 17 metropolitan cities as solar cities along with Ayodhya and Varanasi. After developing the metros as solar cities, the Yogi government aims to work on the plan to develop rural areas as solar villages. It is noteworthy that the Yogi government has set a target of developing Ayodhya as the first solar city of the state. Work on this is going on at a fast pace, while preparations for setting up a large-scale solar plant in Varanasi have also started.
Yash Saini 
Production of 14 MW solar energy started in Ayodhya
Energy Minister AK Sharma gave this information while answering a question in the Uttar Pradesh Assembly on Wednesday. He said that very soon Uttar Pradesh will emerge as a leading state in the field of solar energy. It has already started. Our government is developing Ayodhya as a solar city. If it has started from the feet of Lord Ram then naturally the success will be better. A rooftop solar plant has been installed on the roof of the Circuit House in Ayodhya. A 40 MW solar power plant has been installed in Ayodhya, out of which production of 14 MW solar power has started, the remaining production will also start soon. Giving detailed information about the work done regarding Solar City in Ayodhya, the Energy Minister said that more than 2500 street lights in Ayodhya have started operating on solar energy. The Chief Minister has launched a solar boat in the Saryu river of Ayodhya. Water ATMs at many places are powered by solar energy. There are about 40 intersections in Ayodhya where solar trees have been planted.
Target to build 25 thousand rooftop solar plants in Varanasi
The Energy Minister said that we have made Ayodhya a solar city and the next target is to install solar rooftop plants on the roofs of government buildings. On the instructions of PM Modi and under the leadership of CM Yogi, the target of setting up 25 thousand rooftop solar plants in Varanasi has been achieved. Work is being done on this rapidly and soon Varanasi will also be developed as a solar city on the lines of Ayodhya. Not only this, on the lines of Ayodhya and Varanasi, 17 metropolitan cities of the state are also set to be developed as solar cities. Along with this, the process of setting up solar plants in rural areas of the state will also be started. He said that a roadmap for setting up charging stations in the state will be prepared soon. There are preparations to build charging stations on a large scale in the state, because unless charging stations are built, people will not use EVs. In such a situation, it is included in the priorities of the government.
Outsourced workers will get up to 20 percent performance incentives in 2025-26
The Energy Minister said that UPPCL Corporation has implemented a system of giving performance incentives (incentive scheme) to outsourced personnel on the basis of increase in revenue (through-rate). Under the incentive scheme, contractual employees of sub-centres found eligible will be given 10 percent per month as performance incentives on their monthly remuneration in the year 2024-25. Again, if there is an increase in the revenue (through-rate) in relation to the electricity supplied at the same sub-stations in the year 2024-25, then an additional amount of 10 percent per month will be given in the year 2025-26 (i.e. a total incentive of 20 percent). The ex-gratia amount given in case of death during departmental work has been increased by the Corporation from Rs 5 lakh to Rs 7.50 lakh.
31 thousand consumers paid more than Rs 7 crore through consumer app
In response to another question, he said that the consumer app launched for the introduction of trust billing system in the state is being liked a lot. Currently 2,95,000 users are using this app. The consumer app was launched in UPPCL on October 10, 2023. In 2023-24, Rs 7,23,97,381 were paid by 30,704 consumers through the app. On the question related to electricity theft cases, he said that FIRs have been registered in 1,25,047 cases of electricity theft in the state from 01.04.2023 to 31.01.2024. Regarding electricity theft, revenue assessment has been done in 1,22,990 cases, Section-3 notice has been sent in 19,543 cases and Section-5 notice has been sent in 5,869 cases. Under the OTS scheme, 13,995 cases of electricity theft have been resolved.
