LUCKNOW, June 2 -- Uttar Pradesh has been selected for the prestigious PM Surya Ghar Excellence Award in recognition of its outstanding performance in implementing the PM Surya Ghar: Muft Bijli Yojana. The award will be presented at an event in New Delhi on June 4. In a letter to chief secretary SP Goyal, secretary, ministry of new and renewable energy, Santosh Sarangi said UP had been chosen for honours under both the "Two Years of Scheme" category and the "Month of Solar Campaign (May 2026)" category. The ministry said the achievement reflected the leadership of the state government and the coordinated efforts of the energy department, UPNEDA, discoms and field-level officials in advancing India's rooftop solar mission. Welcoming the recognition, energy minister AK Sharma said the award was a result of sustained efforts under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and chief minister Yogi Adityanath. He said Uttar Pradesh had emerged as a national model in renewable energy development and is moving rapidly towards energy self-reliance. According to Sharma, the state has received more than 9.91 lakh applications under the PM Surya Ghar scheme and installed over 5.57 lakh rooftop solar systems, benefiting more than 5.64 lakh families....