PM Surya Ghar: Muft Bijli Yojana Turns One
Introduction On February 13, 2025 , the PM Surya Ghar: Muft Bijli Yojana ( PMSGMBY ) will mark its first anniversary, celebrating a year of empowering households with affordable solar energy and accelerating India’s transition to a sustainable future. Launched by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on February 13, 2024, this groundbreaking initiative aims to provide free electricity to households by facilitating the installation of rooftop solar panels. The PMSGMBY, the world’s largest domestic rooftop solar initiative, is reshaping India’s energy landscape with a bold vision to supply solar power to one crore households by March 2027 . As of January 27, 2025, the scheme has already benefitted 8.46 lakh households through rooftop solar installations. The rapid adoption of solar energy is evident in the tenfold increase in monthly installation rates, which now stand at around 70,000 installations per month, significantly surpassing pre-scheme levels. The scheme offers a subsidy of up to 40%, making renewable energy more affordable and accessible. So far, ₹4,308.66 crore has been disbursed as Central Financial Assistance (CFA) to 5.54 lakh residential consumers, with an average subsidy of ₹77,800 per household. Additionally, an estimated 45% of the beneficiaries are now receiving zero electricity bills , depending on their solar power generation and consumption patterns. Top 5 states with the highest number of households benefiting under the PM Surya Ghar: Muft Bijli Yojana. Key Benefits The PM Surya Ghar: Muft Bijli Yojana offers several significant benefits to participating households: Subsidy Details The subsidy provided under the scheme varies based on the household's average monthly electricity consumption and the corresponding suitable rooftop solar plant capacity: Average Monthly Electricity Consumption (units) Suitable Rooftop Solar Plant Capacity Subsidy Support 0-150 1-2 kW ₹ 30,000/- to ₹ 60,000/- 150-300 2-3 kW ₹ 60,000/- to ₹ 78,000/- > 300 Above 3 kW ₹ 78,000/- Subsidy Application and Vendor Selection: Households can apply for the subsidy through the National Portal , where they can also select a suitable vendor for installing rooftop solar. The National Portal will assist in decision-making by providing information on appropriate system sizes, a benefits calculator, vendor ratings, and other relevant details. With all credentials are entered correctly on the National Portal, the average time taken in processing the CFA is around 15 days after redemption request made by the consumer. Collateral-Free Loans: Households will have access to collateral-free, low-interest loans at around 7% interest for the installation of residential rooftop solar (RTS) systems up to 3 kW. Eligibility Application Process The application process involves following nine specific steps to ensure a smooth and efficient submission and approval of solar panel installation. Impact The PM Surya Ghar: Muft Bijli Yojana is expected to have far-reaching outcomes, both for individual households and the nation as a whole: Model Solar Village Under the " Model Solar Village " component of the scheme, the focus is on establishing one Model Solar Village per district throughout India. This initiative aims to promote solar energy adoption and empower village communities to achieve energy self-reliance. An allocation of ₹800 crore has been designated for this component, with ₹1 crore provided to each selected Model Solar Village. To qualify as a candidate village, it must be a revenue village with a population of over 5,000 (or 2,000 in special category states). Villages are selected through a competitive process, evaluated on their overall distributed renewable energy (RE) capacity six months after being identified by the District Level Committee (DLC). The village in each district with the highest RE capacity will receive a central financial assistance grant of ₹1 crore. The State/UT Renewable Energy Development Agency, under the supervision of the DLC, will oversee the implementation, ensuring these model villages successfully transition to solar energy and set a benchmark for others across the country. Conclusion In conclusion, the PM Surya Ghar: Muft Bijli Yojana is set to significantly reshape India’s energy landscape by empowering millions of households with solar power. By March 2025, installations are expected to exceed 10 lakh , doubling to 20 lakh by October 2025, reaching 40 lakh by March 2026, and ultimately achieving the ambitious one crore target by March 2027. This transformative initiative is set to save the government ₹75,000 crores annually in electricity costs, reinforcing India’s leadership in clean energy innovation. Through substantial subsidies, accessible financing options, and a focus on renewable energy, the initiative will not only provide free electricity to households but also contribute to significant savings for the government, reduced carbon emissions, and job creation. The Model Solar Village initiative further supports rural areas in becoming energy self-reliant, underscoring the government’s commitment to sustainable development. This ambitious programme sets India on a path toward a greener, more energy-efficient future, reinforcing its leadership in renewable energy. References: v https://pib.gov.in/PressReleasePage.aspx?PRID=2005596 v https://www.myscheme.gov.in/schemes/pmsgmb v https://www.pmsuryaghar.gov.in/whatIsNew v https://cdnbbsr.s3waas.gov.in/s3716e1b8c6cd17b771da77391355749f3/uploads/2024/08/2024080998431910.pdf v https://pib.gov.in/PressReleasePage.aspx?PRID=2080833 v https://sansad.in/getFile/annex/266/AU945_gOv3Tm.pdf?source=pqars Kindly find the pdf file **** Santosh Kumar/ Sarla Meena/ Anchal Patiyal Introduction On February 13, 2025 , the PM Surya Ghar: Muft Bijli Yojana ( PMSGMBY ) will mark its first anniversary, celebrating a year of empowering households with affordable solar energy and accelerating India’s transition to a sustainable future. Launched by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on February 13, 2024, this groundbreaking initiative aims to provide free electricity to households by facilitating the installation of rooftop solar panels. The PMSGMBY, the world’s largest domestic rooftop solar initiative, is reshaping India’s energy landscape with a bold vision to supply solar power to one crore households by March 2027 . As of January 27, 2025, the scheme has already benefitted 8.46 lakh households through rooftop solar installations. The rapid adoption of solar energy is evident in the tenfold increase in monthly installation rates, which now stand at around 70,000 installations per month, significantly surpassing pre-scheme levels. The scheme offers a subsidy of up to 40%, making renewable energy more affordable and accessible. So far, ₹4,308.66 crore has been disbursed as Central Financial Assistance (CFA) to 5.54 lakh residential consumers, with an average subsidy of ₹77,800 per household. Additionally, an estimated 45% of the beneficiaries are now receiving zero electricity bills , depending on their solar power generation and consumption patterns. Top 5 states with the highest number of households benefiting under the PM Surya Ghar: Muft Bijli Yojana. Key Benefits The PM Surya Ghar: Muft Bijli Yojana offers several significant benefits to participating households: Subsidy Details The subsidy provided under the scheme varies based on the household's average monthly electricity consumption and the corresponding suitable rooftop solar plant capacity: Average Monthly Electricity Consumption (units) Suitable Rooftop Solar Plant Capacity Subsidy Support 0-150 1-2 kW ₹ 30,000/- to ₹ 60,000/- 150-300 2-3 kW ₹ 60,000/- to ₹ 78,000/- > 300 Above 3 kW ₹ 78,000/- Subsidy Application and Vendor Selection: Households can apply for the subsidy through the National Portal , where they can also select a suitable vendor for installing rooftop solar. The National Portal will assist in decision-making by providing information on appropriate system sizes, a benefits calculator, vendor ratings, and other relevant details. With all credentials are entered correctly on the National Portal, the average time taken in processing the CFA is around 15 days after redemption request made by the consumer. Collateral-Free Loans: Households will have access to collateral-free, low-interest loans at around 7% interest for the installation of residential rooftop solar (RTS) systems up to 3 kW. Eligibility Application Process The application process involves following nine specific steps to ensure a smooth and efficient submission and approval of solar panel installation. Impact The PM Surya Ghar: Muft Bijli Yojana is expected to have far-reaching outcomes, both for individual households and the nation as a whole: Model Solar Village Under the " Model Solar Village " component of the scheme, the focus is on establishing one Model Solar Village per district throughout India. This initiative aims to promote solar energy adoption and empower village communities to achieve energy self-reliance. An allocation of ₹800 crore has been designated for this component, with ₹1 crore provided to each selected Model Solar Village. To qualify as a candidate village, it must be a revenue village with a population of over 5,000 (or 2,000 in special category states). Villages are selected through a competitive process, evaluated on their overall distributed renewable energy (RE) capacity six months after being identified by the District Level Committee (DLC). The village in each district with the highest RE capacity will receive a central financial assistance grant of ₹1 crore. The State/UT Renewable Energy Development Agency, under the supervision of the DLC, will oversee the implementation, ensuring these model villages successfully transition to solar energy and set a benchmark for others across the country. Conclusion In conclusion, the PM Surya Ghar: Muft Bijli Yojana is set to significantly reshape India’s energy landscape by empowering millions of households with solar power. By March 2025, installations are expected to exceed 10 lakh , doubling to 20 lakh by October 2025, reaching 40 lakh by March 2026, and ultimately achieving the ambitious one crore target by March 2027. This transformative initiative is set to save the government ₹75,000 crores annually in electricity costs, reinforcing India’s leadership in clean energy innovation. Through substantial subsidies, accessible financing options, and a focus on renewable energy, the initiative will not only provide free electricity to households but also contribute to significant savings for the government, reduced carbon emissions, and job creation. The Model Solar Village initiative further supports rural areas in becoming energy self-reliant, underscoring the government’s commitment to sustainable development. This ambitious programme sets India on a path toward a greener, more energy-efficient future, reinforcing its leadership in renewable energy. References: v https://pib.gov.in/PressReleasePage.aspx?PRID=2005596 v https://www.myscheme.gov.in/schemes/pmsgmb v https://www.pmsuryaghar.gov.in/whatIsNew v https://cdnbbsr.s3waas.gov.in/s3716e1b8c6cd17b771da77391355749f3/uploads/2024/08/2024080998431910.pdf v https://pib.gov.in/PressReleasePage.aspx?PRID=2080833 v https://sansad.in/getFile/annex/266/AU945_gOv3Tm.pdf?source=pqars Kindly find the pdf file **** Santosh Kumar/ Sarla Meena/ Anchal Patiyal