Government has selected 60 cities to implement the ‘Solar Cities’ programme: Piyush Goyal

Minister of State for Power, Coal, New & Renewable Energy and Mines, Piyush Goyal in Lok Sabha on Thursday said that the Centre has selected 60 cities nationwide to implement the ‘Solar Cities’ programme. The minister said “the cities having a population of 50-thousand to 50-lakh are selected under the scheme.”

The cities have been selected in a bid to promote sustainable energy initiatives. At least one city has to be included from every state and a maximum of seven cities per state are permitted under the scheme.

The scheme provides for a central financial assistance of upto 50 lakh rupees for each city. An equal amount has to be provided by the local bodies or the state government concerned to implement the scheme.

Funds worth over Rs 30 crore have been sanctioned to 21 states and union territories under the solar cities development programme. These funds were sanctioned during the last three years till November 30 this year. Out of the total sanctioned amount of Rs 30.36 crore under the ‘Development of Solar Cities Programme’ for 21 states and union territories, around Rs 12.98 crore have been released, Power and Renewable Energy Minister Piyush Goyal informed the Lok Sabha.

With PTI Inputs