UP government to train 30,000 youths as 'Surya Mitras'
What's the story
The Uttar Pradesh government has launched an initiative called "Surya Mitra" to train 30,000 young people in the solar energy sector. This move is part of the state's ambitious plan to equip every home with rooftop solar panels. The initiative is in line with the Pradhan Mantri Surya Ghar Muft Bijli Yojana, aiming at installing one crore solar rooftops across India.
Solar strides
UP's progress in solar panel installation
Under the leadership of Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, UP has successfully installed over 25 lakh rooftop solar panels. A senior official from the Uttar Pradesh New and Renewable Energy Development Agency (UPNEDA) said that achieving universal solar panel installation, necessitates a large number of skilled workers in this sector. To address this need, "Surya Mitra" training sessions will be held at district centers and Industrial Training Institutes (ITIs).
Scheme details
PM's free electricity scheme and its benefits
The Pradhan Mantri Surya Ghar free electricity scheme offers significant subsidies for residential houses that install rooftop solar panels. The scheme aims to offer 300 units of free electricity every month to one crore houses. It also varies the financial assistance based on the system's capacity, covering 40% of extra system cost for systems with a capacity between 2kW and 3kW, and 60% for systems up to 2kW.
Subsidy breakdown
Subsidy details of the solar scheme
The subsidy under the Pradhan Mantri Surya Ghar scheme is capped at 3kW capacity. As per current benchmark rates, a 1kW system will receive a subsidy of ₹30,000, a 2kW system will get ₹60,000 and systems of 3kW or more will be granted ₹78,000. This initiative marks a significant step toward promoting solar energy use and creating a skilled workforce in the renewable energy sector.