The Uttar Pradesh government is planning to train 30,000 youth as ‘Surya Mitra’ to achieve its target of installing solar panels on the rooftop of every house in the state. Pradhan Mantri Surya Ghar Yojana was started by the Central Government in February last year. The aim of which is to install solar panels on one crore solar roofs across the country. The Yogi Adityanath-led Uttar Pradesh government has so far installed more than 25 lakh solar panels in the state.
A senior official of Uttar Pradesh New and Renewable Energy Development Agency (UPNEDA) told a news agency that there will be a significant need for skilled workers in the solar energy sector to achieve the target of installing solar panels in every household in Uttar Pradesh.
Trained youth will get help in employment
The official said that for this, the state agency has set a target to train 30,000 ‘Surya Mitras’ in the district centers and Industrial Training Institutes (ITIs).
The official also said that more than 3000 youth have completed training courses for solar projects in Uttar Pradesh. The training is an effort to rapidly achieve Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s dream of installing solar panels in every house in the state.
The three-month ‘Surya Mitra’ program involves 600 hours of comprehensive training. Which includes classroom instruction, practical laboratory work demonstration of solar photovoltaic technology plants, on-the-job training soft skills and entrepreneurship development.
UPNEDA partners with Tata Group to install solar panels in 10 lakh houses
According to UPNEDA data, registration for installing solar panels on the roofs of more than 18 lakh houses in the state has been completed. Apart from this, applications have been submitted for about two lakh additional houses.
To promote the use of solar energy, the government has introduced “Net Billing/Net Metering” system. Apart from this, UPNEDA has partnered with Tata Group to install solar panels on the roofs of 10 lakh houses in Uttar Pradesh, the initiative of which has recently started from Varanasi.