In power deficient Bijnor, solar energy creating new jobs
With a large number of people using solar panels as alternate source of energy, the need for technicians to repair these panels is also steadily rising. To fill such requirements, the administration has been training ‘Surya Mitras‘, diploma holders from state-run ITI, as technicians. The need for technicians for solar panels, experts say, will only rise in the future. So far, only 15 Surya Mitras have been trained in the district. The training for the next batches of technicians will be trained from March 15 and 29 in Lucknow.
Dhir Singh, a shopkeeper, said, “Since there is a power crisis in Bijnor, people have started to look towards solar power. It has a dual benefit since it is also a clean energy source. Solar-powered lights, generators and inverters are all in high demand. The demand for such goods is rapidly rising. This shift towards solar energy has come about over the last year. Over the last year, I have seen a rise of 50% in my sales.”
According to official figures, there are 2,500 solar lights, 1,000 solar panels and 124 solar pumps in the district. These are mostly used in schools and offices. In homes, people have also started using solar-powered cooking systems.