All efforts are being made to make Chandigarh India's model solar city.

The ministry of new and renewable energy (MNRE) is now trying to expand the base of solar power users in the city by promising a 50 percent subsidy to those using it, an official with the science and technology department of Chandigarh administration told Governance Now.

Chandigarh already has a by-law that makes it compulsory for residential areas above 500 square yards to have solar water heating. It also has a by-law that makes it necessary for all institutional buildings to have solar lights in their parking spaces. “This law has been in place for around one and a half years now,” Manjit Singh Brar, director, science and technology, Chandigarh administration said.

Brar said that Chandigarh already provides a 25 percent capital subsidy on solar installations. “We will try to broaden the base of users with the additional subsidy that will be provided by the MNRE,” he said.

The director also added that Chandigarh can only rely upon solar energy from among the various renewable energies since they don’t have any other option. “Neither do we have the velocity of wind for wind energy, nor any tides for tidal energy,” he said.

Chandigarh will soon come up as the model city for solar/green cities being promoted by the MNRE. “We are progressing on that front and are in the process of finalising our master plan,” Brar added.