PM Surya Ghar Muft Bijli Yojana: The new scheme of residential solar rooftop was launched on 22 January. It was launched by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Now its name has been changed to ‘PM Surya Ghar: Free Electricity Scheme’. Under this scheme, a maximum subsidy of Rs 78,000 is available for installing solar rooftop system on homes.
PM Surya Ghar Muft Bijli Yojana: Prime Minister Narendra Modi launched the new Rooftop Solar Scheme on 22 January. Under this scheme, there is a plan to install solar panels in 1 crore houses across the country. On February 1, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman said in the interim budget that by installing solar panels under this scheme, families will be able to save Rs 15,000-18,000 every year.
On February 13, the name of this scheme was changed to ‘PM Surya Ghar: Free Electricity Scheme’ (PM Surya Ghar Muft Bijli Yojana). The government has said that there will be an investment of more than Rs 75,000 crore on this scheme. With this, 300 units of free electricity will be available every month.
There was already a solar rooftop scheme
It is important for you to know that there was already a rooftop solar scheme for homes. Now the guidelines and incentives of that scheme have been changed. The name of the old scheme was ‘Rooftop Solar Program Phase-II’. It was launched on March 8, 2019.
Under the Rooftop Solar Program Phase 2, a target was set to achieve solar rooftop capacity of 4,000 MW through the use of solar panels in homes. For this, subsidy or central financial assistance is given for installing solar panels. By November 2023, solar power capacity of 2,651.10 MW had been created under this program. Moneycontrol is telling you what is the new scheme of solar rooftop and how is it different from the old scheme.
How much subsidy will you get now?
The good news is that the government has increased the subsidy in ‘PM Surya Ghar: Free Electricity Scheme’. Compared to the old rooftop solar scheme, the subsidy has been increased by at least 67 percent. If a person installs a 1-KW rooftop solar system at his home, he will get a subsidy of at least Rs 30,000 under the new scheme. The subsidy in the old scheme was Rs 18,000. If a person installs a 2-KW system in his house, he will get a subsidy of Rs 60,000 under the new scheme. Earlier it was Rs 36,000. Subsidy on 3-KW system will be Rs 78,000.
How to apply for this scheme?
If you want to take advantage of this scheme, then first you will have to register on www.pmsuryaghar.gov.in. You have to select the state and electric distribution company. You have to enter your electricity consumer number, mobile number and email ID. After this you will have to wait for feasibility approval from the local distribution company. After getting approval, you can get the solar system installed from a vendor registered with the distribution company. The list of vendors is available on the website.
After the solar system is installed, you will have to submit plant details and apply for net meter. After installation of net meter and inspection of DISCOM, a commissioning certificate will be generated on the portal. You will have to submit your bank account details and a canceled check through the portal. The subsidy money will come to your bank account within 30 days.
Those who applied after February 13 will benefit
Earlier this month, the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy had clarified that people applying for the residential rooftop solar scheme before February 13, 2024, will not get the benefit of subsidy under the new scheme. They will get subsidy as per the old scheme.
