New Delhi: PM Surya Ghar: Muft Bijli Yojana (PMSGMBY) — the world’s largest domestic rooftop solar initiative — has achieved a significant milestone by completing 10.09 lakh installations across the country, the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE) said on Tuesday.
The Ministry noted that “45 per cent households in the country with solar panels are now getting zero electricity bills”.
The ambitious scheme, launched by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in February 2024, aims to provide free electricity through rooftop solar systems to one crore residential households and reduce dependence on conventional power sources while enabling citizens to become energy producers.
“India achieves a historic milestone in solar energy! Under the visionary leadership of PM Narendra Modi, the PM Surya Ghar Muft Bijli Yojana has empowered 10 lakh homes with solar energy, driving a new era of sustainability, affordability, and self-reliance,” said Union Minister Pralhad Joshi, MNRE, in a post on social media platform X.
“India is making a unique achievement in renewable energy. India’s strides towards a sustainable energy future,” he added.
The scheme enables every household to contribute to climate change mitigation by reducing carbon emissions equivalent to planting 100 trees.
The Ministry said that PMSGMBY scheme has received 47.3 lakh applications, and 6.13 lakh beneficiaries have successfully received subsidies, amounting to Rs 4,770 crore.
A key feature of the scheme is the provision of collateral-free loans through 12 Public Sector Banks (PSBs) at a subsidised interest rate of 6.75 per cent for loans up to Rs. 2 lakhs, making rooftop solar installations more accessible to the masses.
Till March 10, “3.10 lakh loan applications have been received, with 1.58 lakh loans sanctioned and 1.28 lakh disbursed, ensuring wider accessibility for potential beneficiaries. Beneficiaries receive subsidy of up to Rs 78,000 for up to 3KW rooftop solar system, significantly reducing installation costs,” the Ministry said.
Leading the nation in clean energy adoption is Chandigarh and Daman and Diu which have achieved 100 per cent of their government building rooftop solar targets.
Further, states like Rajasthan, Maharashtra, Gujarat, and Tamil Nadu are also contributing significantly to the overall installation figures. The government aims to reach the target of rooftop solar installations in 1 crore households by 2026-27.
Notably, the scheme supports domestic manufacturing by mandating the use of solar modules and cells produced in India.
As of March 10, “the scheme has facilitated the installation of over 3 GW of rooftop solar capacity, with an additional 27 GW targeted by March 2027,” the Ministry said.
(IANS)
