The State Government has prepared a master plan to develop the Capital as a solar city.

The Ministry of New and Renewable Energy has shortlisted Bhubaneswar along with 54 cities in 27 States for development as solar cities under Solar Cities programme.

The Ministry has been implementing the programme under which a total of 60 cities and towns are proposed to be supported for development as green cities.

Five cities, one each in Andhra Pradesh, Kerala, Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan and Jammu and Kashmir have got in-principle approval from the Ministry.

The criteria set by the ministry for the identification of cities include a city having population between 50,000 and 50 lakh (with relaxation given to special category States including the northeast ones), initiatives and regulatory measures already taken along with a high level of commitment in promoting energy efficiency and renewable energy.

The objective is to reduce conventional energy by 10 per cent in a span of five years through development of renewable energy and energy efficiency measures...............Read more

Source web page: The New Indian Express