KATHMANDU: The government would launch the People's Participation-based Solar Street Light Programme to install solar lights in all public places of municipalities and VDCs to make the movement easy during night as well as to decrease consumption of electricity.

At a news conference organised here today, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Federal Affairs and Local Development, Kamal Thapa, said that a comprehensive working procedure had been formulated to install the solar lights considering the fact that electricity consumption would be decreased by around 6 megawatt while public places would get illuminated.

DPM Thapa said that a public announcement would be made from Monday to forward the use of solar street lights as a campaign across the country in the partnership of the government, local bodies and local people.

Solar street lights would be installed along 700 kilometres of road at a cost of around Rs 1.42 billion, as per the plan. The government has allocated Rs 1 billion for the same while the remaining Rs 420 million would be collected with the participation of local bodies and people.

The government would bear 60 per cent of the total cost for the installation of solar street light while a metropolitan city would contribute 25 per cent and local people 15 per cent in the metropolitan city.

Similarly, the government would bear 65 per cent of the total cost while local bodies and consumers have to bear 20 per cent and 15 per cent respectively in sub-metropolitan cities, municipalities and VDCs. Likewise, the government would provide 70 per cent of the total cost while 20 per cent would be covered by local bodies and 10 per cent by consumers at most poor settlements.

The government would provide 70 per cent cost and bodies concerned should bear 30 per cent cost at hospitals, universities, schools, government offices, security bodies and government bodies.

A 13-member working committee would be formed for the same under the convenorship of the Local Development Minister, the Minister of State or the Assistant Minister as assigned by the Minister.