On February 13, 2024, Prime Minister Narendra Modi launched the ‘PM Surya Ghar: Muft Bijli Yojana’, a key initiative to promote solar energy and sustainable development. The program intends to brighten one crore households by providing up to 300 units of free energy every month, necessitating an investment of more than Rs 75,000 crore. Modi underscored the government’s commitment to ensuring people’s well-being and environmental sustainability through this initiative. Substantial subsidies would be put directly into beneficiaries’ bank accounts, and concessional bank loans would be made available to help fund the effort. Furthermore, a National Online Portal will bring together all stakeholders participating in the project, facilitating its implementation and maintenance.
Where to apply for the scheme?
Prime Minister Modi used X to highlight the need to expand solar energy and promote sustainable development. He invited all residential consumers, particularly young people, to apply for the PM Surya Ghar: Muft Bijli Yojana at the designated website: https://pmsuryaghar.gov.in.
How to apply for the PM Surya Ghar: Muft Bijli Yojana
To apply for rooftop solar through the PM Suryaghar initiative, please complete these steps:
- Go to the official website.
- Go to the “Apply for Rooftop Solar” area.
- Register by giving information such as your state, district, consumer account number, and electric distribution company.
- Choose the option to apply for Rooftop Solar using the form supplied.
- Obtain feasibility approval from your Electricity Distribution Company (DISCOM). Only those with DISCOM approval can install the solar plant through registered vendors.
- Once the installation is complete, submit plant information and apply for a net meter.
- After installing the net meter and completing the DISCOM inspection, obtain a commissioning certificate from the portal.
- After getting the commissioning report, users must submit their bank account information and a cancelled cheque via the portal to receive a subsidy within 30 days.
Benefits of the PM Surya Ghar: Muft Bijli Yojana
The potential benefits of the scheme are as follows:
- Households can save up to ₹15,000-18,000 annually by accessing free solar electricity and selling surplus power to distribution firms.
- Enhancement of electric vehicle charging infrastructure.
- The development of entrepreneurial chances for many solar system suppliers and installers.
- Generation of job opportunities for trained youth in the solar energy production, installation, and maintenance industry.
More About The Scheme
The government plans to give the ₹75,000 crore capital subsidy over the next 3-5 years, depending on installation rates and public demand. A few lakh solar rooftops have been installed, leaving the adoption of the new program and installation dates to be set. Additional funds will be allocated during the budget’s revised forecasts if the installation rate remains strong. The ₹75,000 crore allocation over a 5-year period implies an annual spend of ₹15,000 crore. Nonetheless, government insiders expect the PM’s ‘Surya Ghar’ initiative to accelerate, particularly in its second year, potentially resulting in greater subsidy spending. The government has included a ₹10,000 crore subsidy in the FY25 budget for solar grid rooftops to support the scheme’s commencement. According to reports, once the formal Cabinet approval is obtained, the current scheme would be replaced with the PM Surya Ghar.
