PM Surya Ghar Muft Bijli Yojana

July 23, 2024

The government has issued operational guidelines for the implementation of incentives to DISCOMs under the PM-Surya Ghar-Muft Bijli Yojana.

About PM Surya Ghar Muft Bijli Yojana:

  • It is a government scheme launched on February 15, 2024, that aims to provide free electricity to households in India.
  • Under the scheme, households will be provided with a subsidy to install solar panels on their roofs.
    • The subsidy will cover up to 40% of the cost of the solar panels.
  • The scheme is expected to benefit 1 crore households across India.
  • It is estimated that the scheme will save the government Rs. 75,000 crore per year in electricity costs.
  • The scheme has an outlay of Rs 75,021 crore and is to be implemented till FY 2026-27. 
  • Eligibility:
    • The household must be an Indian citizen.
    • The household must own a house with a roof that is suitable for installing solar panels.
    • The household must have a valid electricity connection.
    • The household must not have availed any other subsidy for solar panels.
  • Under the scheme, DISCOMs are designated as State Implementation Agencies (SIAs) responsible for facilitating various measures, including net meter availability, timely inspection, and commissioning of installations. 
    • DISCOMs will receive incentives based on their achievement in the installation of additional grid-connected rooftop solar capacity beyond a baseline level.
    • The total financial outlay for the ‘Incentives to DISCOMs’ component is Rs 4,950 crore.