In the wake of rising electricity consumption in the state, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath held a meeting with the senior bureaucrats in Lucknow yesterday, on December 12 and called for an increased utilisation of solar power.

According to a press statement issued by the state government on December 12, there is an increase in the demand for electricity in the state at a rate of 16 per cent on an annual basis. As per the state government, the power demand is supposed to shoot up to 53,000 megawatts in the next five years.

“The Yogi [sic] government will build 18 solar cities in the state to increase the production of solar energy. Noida and Ayodhya will be developed as solar cities first followed by development of 16 municipal corporations of the state,” the press statement informed.

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“This is being looked at as an efficient way to cut the cost of power generation and also keep a check on pollution,” it added.

Also, it added that the rural areas in the state will be benefited from solar power generation on priority and investors in the solar power sector will be provided with concessions.

In the meeting, the Chief Minister is said to have informed that the power generated at these ‘solar cities’ will contribute 10 per cent of the total power generation in the state.

“Besides, emphasis was also laid on increasing solar power generation year after year so that cheap electricity could be made available to the people of UP, including the investors,” the press statement informed.

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