Chief minister Narendra Modi on Thursday formally launched work on the 500 MW solar power park, Asia's largest such project, at Charanka village in Patan district, and expressed confidence that the park would bring a lot of benefits for the local populace and the area.

Speaking on the occasion, Modi said that the heat in Santalpur taluka (where Charanka is located) is considered a bane, but the same heat will become a mint for the area with the solar park.

He said that no one was willing to even visit the remote area in the past, but now companies were lining up to set up projects in the same area.

"The solar park will usher in a new revolution in this area. We will ensure that the project benefits the local people," he said to a big round of applause from the large number of locals present on the occasion.

Modi said that the government would also provide training to the local youths to help them get jobs.

Besides solar power plants, the park, to be spread over 2,000 hectare, will also be home to units manufacturing solar power plant panels and other equipment. The project cost is estimated at Rs1,287 crore.

Earlier, the CM handed over land allotment letters to 15 companies, including Azure Power, GMR Energy and GSPC Pipavav Power Company that are setting up solar power plants in the park.

The park would be home to around 500 MW solar power generation capacity. Once completed, the park will attract investment in excess of Rs7,500 crore. The first phase of the project is expected to go on stream by December 2011.

At the beginning of the launch function, the CM handed over cheques to farmers who had sold their land to the government for the Narmada canal projects.

However, many of the farmers donated the amount to Kanya Kelavani campaign.

The CM announced on the occasion that Charanka, which is about 60 km from the Pakistan border, would be developed as Swarnim Surya Tirth (Golden Sun Pilgrimage). He asked the companies setting up plants in the park to build a Sun Temple in the area, and to develop an adjacent lake, which would create jobs for local youths.

Spelling out the benefits of solar power generation, Modi said that it would require around 9 lakh metric tonne coal to generate the same power as will be generated at the park.

"By harnessing solar energy to generate 500 MW power, we will be able to cut carbon emission by a whopping 80 lakh tonne," he said. He exhorted the audience to preserve natural resources for future generations.