The Bihar Renewable Energy Development Agency has sought the civic body's consent to make Gaya a solar city.

Gaya Municipal Corporation (GMC) city commissioner Nilesh Deore replied saying the proposal would be taken up at the civic body's next board meeting on January 7. He added that the proposal was likely to get approved.

According to GMC records, Gaya's streets have around 6,000 streetlights. 'We have sent a letter to India Power Corporation (Bodhgaya) Limited (IPCL) to calculate how much power is consumed but are yet to get a reply. A huge sum of money goes towards paying bills for power consumed by streetlights, mini and the high-mast lights,' Deore said. According to him, they never got power bills on a regular basis, always having to pay it in bulk.

IPCL assistant general manager Rakesh Ranjan said on Monday that the GMC's power bill was prepared after calculating consumption.

The bill would be delivered to the GMC's office soon, he said.

According to Deore, a deputy director from Bihar Renewable Energy Development Agency wrote to them on September 12, last year, seeking GMC's consent for the proposal. 'I replied three days later. The agency will be informed once the GMC board approves the proposal,' Deore said.

Once the proposal is approved, the agency would start working. It would first set up a solar power station in Gaya. According to the proposal, solar power generated from the station would be supplied not just to the streetlights but also to government offices and residential quarters. It would save a lot of energy and money paid to honour power bills.

Under the Environment Conservation Act 2001, a state-designated agency has been selected in 33 states of the country to work on environment conservation. Bihar Renewable Energy Development Agency has been chosen to promote sources of renewable energy in Bihar.

Notably, Gaya is also among 12 cities selected for Prime Minister Narendra Modi's ambitious heritage development plan, HRIDAYA, under which Rs 500 crore would be spent.

At present, a proposal worth Rs 71 crore has been prepared for the plan. A team from Delhi will visit Gaya in February to conduct a study. If necessary, the estimated amount to be spent over heritage development could be increased.