Why in news?  It was informed in Rajya Sabha about Bidar and Hospet being identified for development as solar cities in Karnataka

SOLAR CITY – Any City or UT of India whose local government is ready to explore different dimensions of obtaining energy either through Sun or even from biomass, wind, waste to the power that will lower the emissions of GreenHouse Gases and thus ensure cleaner and greener cities

OTHER HIGHLIGHTS

• Ministry of New and Renewable Energy, Government of India is implementing a programme at national level
• Karnataka renewable energy development limited is the implementing agency in Karnataka
• No exclusive scheme – states to converge existing schemes
• States with a request to finalize an action plan for development of the cities
• Some measures noted :
  • Government offices to get rooftop solar panels to reduce electricity dependence
  • Local bodies to set up solar power plant on open land to generate solar energy under the project
  • Installation of all types of renewable energy based projects like solar, wind, biomass, small hydro, waste to energy etc. may be installed along with possible energy efficiency measures.