Lucknow, April 14: The ‘Solar Didis’ campaign is gaining momentum in Uttar Pradesh as an innovative initiative to accelerate rooftop solar installations. Under the leadership of Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, the state government has designed this model to bring the PM Surya Ghar free electricity scheme to the masses, focusing on empowering women. This approach is already yielding effective results.
As part of this campaign, 111 women in Varanasi and 148 in Ayodhya are actively promoting rooftop solar installations as ‘Solar Didis.’ These women receive a monthly incentive of ₹1,000 from urban local bodies, helping them achieve financial independence.
The process of identifying women from urban self-help groups as ‘Solar Didis’ is rapidly progressing in major cities like Lucknow, Kanpur, Ayodhya, Prayagraj, and Varanasi. This initiative is being implemented in coordination with the Deendayal Antyodaya Yojana-National Urban Livelihoods Mission and the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy. A unique aspect of this campaign is that the selected ‘Solar Didis’ educate households about the benefits of solar energy. They play a crucial role in assisting consumers throughout the application process, installation, and maintenance, acting as a strong link between the government and the public.
To enhance women’s technical skills, a special seven-day training program is being conducted. After training, women can work as assistants, while trained and certified members will be capable of taking on technician roles. Additionally, city-level and area-level federations are being developed as vendors to actively participate in demand creation, installation coordination, and service delivery.
The existing robust network of self-help groups in the state is playing a vital role in the success of this campaign. Through thousands of active groups, this initiative is rapidly reaching grassroots levels, increasing both awareness and acceptance of solar energy. According to officials from UP NEDA, the ‘Solar Didis’ model will not only help achieve the scheme’s goals swiftly but also foster social trust, public participation, and women’s empowerment. This initiative is proving to be a significant step towards making Uttar Pradesh a leader in clean energy while empowering women to become self-reliant.
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