Bhubaneswar, Aug. 24: Jayadev Bhavan, one of the biggest auditoriums of the state, today became the first government building to have a rooftop solar power project.

This is a part of the state government's ambitious solar energy project.

Chief minister Naveen Patnaik today announced this at the induction programme of new recruits for the Odisa Power Transmission Corporation Limited (OPTCL).

He had yesterday launched the rooftop solar power programme for individual consumers at the state secretariat. If individual consumers installed solar system on their rooftop, they would get 30 per cent subsidy and could even sell and draw power from the grid. The state aims to produce 8MW of power from the rooftop solar project. In Bhubaneswar alone, the state aims to produce alone 4MW power.

Naveen said: "I congratulate the department and officials for their diligent efforts in promoting rooftop solar power in Odisha. The rooftop solar project will be replicated in 15 other towns of the state."

Naveen also congratulated the OPTCL for recruiting 1,581 professionals in various disciplines. "The OPTCL has been consistently conducting recruitment drives to attract highly motivated and talented human resources in the power sector of the state. This will surely help the corporation to face challenge of increasing infrastructure development and maintenance work," he said.

Naveen said: "By 2022, the consumption load of Odisha is projected to be 30 thousand million units. In order to ensure uninterrupted power supply, the OPTCL has proposed for expansion of the grid network in the state with 57 new grids by 2022."

Energy minister Prafulla Malllick said: "The state government is conducting frequent reviews on employment generation. Steps are being taken to fill up the vacant posts in various departments and PSUs."