During her interim Budget speech, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman announced that rooftop solarization will provide up to 300 units of free electricity monthly to one crore households.
In January, Prime Minister Narendra Modi launched the ‘Pradhan Mantri Suryodaya Yojana,’ aiming to install rooftop solar systems in one crore homes. In a post on X, PM Modi wrote, “I have taken my first decision after returning from Ayodhya that our government will launch ‘Pradhan Mantri Suryoday Yojana’ with the aim to install rooftop solar systems in one crore houses.” He emphasized that the scheme will reduce electricity bills for the poor and middle class and help India become self-reliant in the energy sector.
This is not the BJP government’s first initiative to promote solar power. In 2014, the government launched the Rooftop Solar Programme to achieve a cumulative capacity of 40,000 megawatts (MW) by 2022. Despite efforts, the target was unmet, prompting an extension to 2026. The Pradhan Mantri Suryodaya Yojana is a renewed effort to achieve the 40 GW rooftop solar capacity goal.
Finance Minister Sitharaman detailed the scheme’s benefits, highlighting that households could save between Rs 15,000 to Rs 18,000 annually and potentially sell surplus power back to distribution companies. “There is provision of Rs 10,000 crore for rooftop solar (scheme) in the Budget,” added Finance Secretary T V Somanathan at a press conference.
According to the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy, India’s solar power installed capacity reached around 84.28 GW as of May 31, 2024, with the rooftop solar installed capacity at approximately 11.08 GW as of December 2023.
Consumers can access the scheme’s benefits through DISCOM tendered projects or the National Portal (www.solarrooftop.gov.in). Any Indian citizen can benefit from this scheme.
Here’s a step-by-step guide:
- Register on the portal
– Select your State
– Select your District
– Select Electricity Distribution Company
– Enter your Consumer Account Number
– Enter your Mobile Number
- Login with your mobile number and apply for the rooftop
- After receiving feasibility approval, install the plant using any registered vendor in your DISCOM.
- Submit plant details and apply for a net meter upon installation completion
- A commissioning certificate will be generated from the portal after the net meter installation and DISCOM inspection
- Submit bank account details and a cancelled cheque through the portal to receive your subsidy within 30 days
This comprehensive approach ensures that beneficiaries can easily access and benefit from the rooftop solar initiative.