Generate an appropriate single-sentence summary for the given text such that it includes the main topic of the text.

Why is Uttar Pradesh important? The northern state is India's most populous, with more than 222 million people. If it were a separate country, it would be the fifth-largest by population in the world after China, India, the United States and Indonesia. Commonly called UP, the state sends the largest number of MPs - 80 - to India's parliament. It is often said that the party that wins the state rules the country. Several prime ministers, including India's first PM Jawaharlal Nehru, have come from here. Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who is from the western state of Gujarat, also chose to make his parliamentary debut from the state in the 2014 general election when he contested from Varanasi. And voters in the state can easily claim the credit for his Bharatiya Janata Party's (BJP) stunning sweep of the elections. Of the 282 seats they won, 71 were from Uttar Pradesh. Who are the main players? It's a three-way contest between the governing BJP, the regional Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) and the state's ruling Samajwadi Party (SP), which is contesting the polls in alliance with the Congress. Since the late 1990s, the Samajwadi Party and the Bahujan Samaj Party have dominated state politics, with the Congress and the BJP pushed to the sidelines. The family drama gripping Indian politics Why the bicycle could decide an election But this time, buoyed by its success in the general election, the BJP is making a serious bid for victory. The party is yet to declare a chief ministerial candidate and is banking on the popularity and charisma of Prime Minister Narendra Modi to win the polls. Mr Modi has been criss-crossing the state, addressing election rallies and exhorting voters to give the BJP a chance. The Samajwadi Party is led by 43-year-old Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav. He led his party to victory in the 2012 state assembly polls and is hoping for an encore when the votes are counted on 11 March. His journey, however, has been far from smooth, especially in the past few weeks when he fought a very public battle with Mulayam Singh Yadav, his father and chief of the party. As father and son fought for power in a manner likened to political drama House of Cards, the party seemed on the verge of disintegrating. But Yadav junior won the duel, and has since forged an alliance with India's main opposition Congress party. The partners have been holding joint election rallies, promising good governance, state development and free smartphones for young people. Pitted against the BJP and the SP-Congress alliance is the Bahujan Samaj Party, led by Dalit (formerly Untouchables) icon Ms Mayawati. The four-time state chief minister, who lost power in 2012, is seeking a comeback. She is hugely popular among her community, but during her earlier stints she was criticised for spending millions of dollars to build statues of herself and other Dalit icons. This time though, she has promised to not spend money on statues and says she will work to lift millions of people out of poverty. What's at stake? Because of its sheer size and numbers, UP is a key battleground. And for the parties in the fray, these elections are being seen as a do-or-die battle. The BJP hasn't done too well in state polls since winning the 2014 general elections, so a victory here is important. Also, the polls are being seen as a referendum on Mr Modi's recent move to ban 500 and 1,000 rupee notes. The timing of the move has been questioned by many and if the party loses, a blame game is likely to begin. A victory for Akhilesh Yadav is crucial as it will cement his position as the leader of his party. If he loses, the rebel faction led by his uncle Shivpal Yadav will get a boost. A win will also bring cheer to the Congress, which has had little joy with voters in the general election or in regional polls for the last few years. And a win is absolutely essential for Ms Mayawati, who has spent the past five years in the political wilderness. Analysts say if she loses this time too, she risks becoming politically irrelevant and may find it very difficult to bounce back. How do the numbers look? With 403 seats up for grabs, thousands of contestants are in the fray, fighting for a share of the pie. More than 138 million voters will be casting their votes at 147,148 polling centres, watched over by thousands of police and paramilitary troops, during the seven phases of voting spread over a month. Despite its political significance, UP remains among India's most backward states with millions living in extreme poverty, a lack of employment opportunities and rampant corruption. For some voters the only tool they have to express themselves with is their vote. And during elections they come out in large numbers to use it - often against those in power.
As the northern Indian state of Uttar Pradesh begins a seven-phase election on 11 February to choose a new government, the BBC's Geeta Pandey in the state capital, Lucknow, explains why these polls matter.

Ofgem said customers were misled during sales approaches due to Scottish Power's failure to "adequately train and monitor" staff. Consumers on the "warm home discount" will receive about £50 each. Money will also go to those who were misled. The company has apologised for the errors between 2009 and 2012. "Today's announcement is a clear signal to energy suppliers of the consequences of breaching licence obligations," said Ofgem's senior partner in charge of enforcement Sarah Harrison. Changes Scottish Power will pay £7.5m to the 140,000 customers it has on the government-led "warm home discount scheme" aimed at supporting customers who are likely to be at risk of fuel poverty. It estimates each will receive a payment of about £50. It has also set up a £1m customer compensation fund for customers who believe they have been mis-sold to. Scottish Power said the failings identified had now all been rectified. It stopped doorstep sales in 2011 and has also put in place independent checks on the conduct of its telephone agents. Ofgem said the size of the fine reflected Scottish Power's cooperation during the investigation. "Ofgem's investigation found no evidence of a strategy by Scottish Power to deliberately mis-sell to customers," the energy regulator said in a statement. Scottish Power said it would write to the 336,000 people who could have been affected and could be in line for compensation. "We accept Ofgem's findings and we apologize unreservedly to those customers affected," said Neil Clitheroe, of Scottish Power. "This arose as a result of new regulations which were introduced in 2009. I am sorry to say that we didn't implement these properly at that time. "However, I am pleased that Ofgem has made it clear that they found no evidence of a strategy by Scottish Power to deliberately mis-sell to customers. "Since 2011 we have taken determined steps to resolve the problem: doorstep selling was stopped; and all telephone sales staff are properly trained and monitored." Scottish Power is not the only energy supplier to have been in trouble with the regulator over doorstep selling. In April, Ofgem said that SSE was guilty of management failures that led to "prolonged and extensive" mis-selling through telephone, in-store and doorstep sales. The regulator handed down a record £10.5m fine. Two other investigations - into Npower and E.On, are ongoing. Energy companies no longer sell energy door-to-door, a change that has reduced the number of people switching suppliers in recent times, figures show. New rules Also on Tuesday, new rules from Ofgem came into force preventing energy firms from increasing prices during fixed-term contracts. Firms are also banned from automatically rolling customers on to another fixed-term offer when their current one ends. Ofgem says the changes are aimed at ensuring customers get the best energy deal for them. "Ofgem is going to make it easier for consumers to 'vote with their feet'", said Ofgem chief executive Andrew Wright. The rules are part of a series of reforms, relating to new standards of conduct for energy firms. "Our reforms seek to give consumers the tools they need to find the best energy deal for them," added Mr Wright. The reform follows Ofgem's research showing that even on fixed-term deals, suppliers could still increase prices.
Scottish Power is to pay customers £8.5m after an investigation by industry regulator Ofgem into its doorstep and telephone selling.

The National Trust warns the number of its sites facing a high level of threat from issues such as coastal erosion, extreme heat and flooding could rise from 5% to 17% over the next 40 years. Its map plots a worst-case scenario where nothing is done over that time to drive down global carbon emissions. The charity says planning for the worst will help it protect sites effectively. The map is intended to help highlight potential future hazards in heritage or countryside sites across England, Wales and Northern Ireland. Interventions can then be made to reduce the hazards - such as planting trees to provide shade in higher temperature areas, or restoring peat bogs to prevent flooding. The worst-case scenario shows: The charity wants to plant 20 million trees before 2030, and said the map will ensure trees are planted where they are needed most. National Trust director for land and nature Harry Bowell said: "This map is a game-changer in how we face the threat climate change poses to the places we care for. "While the data draws on a worst-case scenario, the map paints a stark picture of what we have to prepare for. But by acting now, and working with nature, we can adapt to many of these risks." The charity says staff are already taking action to cope with rising temperatures: The map plots the impacts of extreme heat and humidity, landslides, coastal erosion, shrinking and shifting ground due to wet and dry conditions known as "soil heave", and high winds, in 2020 and 2060. It uses data from a number of sources and plots them in 5km hexagonal grids across England, Wales and Northern Ireland. The National Trust is also sharing available data on flooding with staff on properties prone to flooding and action that can be taken, but the information is too localised to be included on the map.

A "game-changing" new map shows the threats climate change may have on the UK's stately homes and landscapes.

