The Asian Development Bank (ADB) has approved a $562.8 million loan to strengthen the quality and reliability of electricity supply in Uttar Pradesh and Meghalaya. Of the total amount, $430 million has been approved for Uttar Pradesh while the remaining $132.8 million will be for Meghalaya. In Uttar Pradesh, the loan amount will be used for the conversion of 65,000 km of rural low-voltage distribution lines from bare conductors to aerial bundle conductors under the Uttar Pradesh Power Distribution Network Rehabilitation Project. The project is set to benefit 70 million people across 46,000 villages. Further, it will also be used to finance the construction of a parallel network of 11-kilovolt feeders of a total length of 17,000 km. This will enable agricultural demand to be met by solar capacity. In Meghalaya, the fund will be used to construct 23 substations, renovate and modernize 45 substations. 2,214 kilometers of distribution lines will be installed and upgraded and smart meters will be installed to benefit about 180,000 households. Both loans also include a technical assistance grant of $2 million each from ADB and the Japan Fund for Poverty Reduction to foster gender inclusivity, finance renewable energy mini-grids that will improve power quality, and support income generation activities.