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PM Surya Ghar: Muft Bijli Yojana — Up to 300 Units of Free Solar Electricity for Every Home
Last verified: May 2026 · 6 min read · JaBaSu Knowledge Commons
At a Glance
| Parameter |
Detail |
| Full Name |
PM Surya Ghar: Muft Bijli Yojana |
| Launched |
13–15 February 2024 |
| Nodal Ministry |
Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE) |
| Status |
Active — 10 lakh homes solar-powered (March 2025); 23 lakh+ registered (December 2025); targeting 1 crore by 2026-27 |
| Total outlay |
Rs. 75,021 crore |
| Free electricity |
Up to 300 units/month |
| Central subsidy (1 kW) |
Rs. 30,000 |
| Central subsidy (2 kW) |
Rs. 60,000 |
| Central subsidy (3 kW) |
Rs. 78,000 (maximum) |
| Odisha state subsidy |
Rs. 25,000 (for 1 kW systems) — combined with Centre's Rs. 30,000 = Rs. 55,000 total for 1 kW |
| Loans available |
Collateral-free; Rs. 5.79 lakh loans sanctioned worth Rs. 10,907 crore (September 2025) |
| Official portal |
pmsuryaghar.gov.in |
| Helpline |
15555 |
What Is It?
PM Surya Ghar: Muft Bijli Yojana is the Central Government's most ambitious clean energy programme for residential households — providing direct subsidies of up to Rs. 78,000 for rooftop solar panel installation, enabling homeowners to generate their own electricity and receive up to 300 units per month free through net metering. Launched in February 2024 with a total outlay of Rs. 75,021 crore, it is the world's largest domestic rooftop solar initiative.
The scheme's logic is straightforward: a 3 kW rooftop solar system generates 300-400 units of electricity monthly in most Indian locations — enough to eliminate a household's electricity bill entirely. With the government subsidising up to 40-60% of the system cost and providing concessional loans for the remainder, the economics of rooftop solar become accessible to middle-income and lower-middle-income households for the first time.
The Odisha dimension: The Odisha state government offers an additional Rs. 25,000 subsidy for 1 kW systems — confirmed in the Budget 2024-25 discussions. This brings the combined Central + State subsidy for a 1 kW system to Rs. 55,000, making entry-level rooftop solar significantly more affordable for Odisha households.
Progress: By December 2025, over 23 lakh households had registered. By March 2025, 10 lakh homes were actually solar-powered. The scheme reached 4,946 MW of rooftop solar capacity by July 2025. Rs. 9,280 crore in subsidies have been disbursed. Rs. 10,907 crore in loans sanctioned for 5.79 lakh beneficiaries.
How the Subsidy Works — the Complete Financial Picture
Subsidy Structure
| System Size |
Units Generated/Month |
Central Subsidy |
Odisha State Top-up |
Total Subsidy |
| 1 kW |
Up to 150 units |
Rs. 30,000 |
Rs. 25,000 |
Rs. 55,000 |
| 2 kW |
Up to 200 units |
Rs. 60,000 |
Check state portal |
Rs. 60,000+ |
| 3 kW |
Up to 300 units |
Rs. 78,000 (max) |
Check state portal |
Rs. 78,000+ |
The remaining cost: A 3 kW rooftop solar system typically costs Rs. 1.5-2 lakh after the subsidy. The remaining Rs. 70,000-1.2 lakh can be financed through a DISCOM-linked concessional bank loan. As of September 2025, over 5.79 lakh such loans have been sanctioned worth Rs. 10,907 crore — confirming that the loan window is functioning.
Subsidy disbursement: After installation, net meter commissioning, and site inspection by the DISCOM, the Central subsidy (Rs. 30,000-78,000) is credited directly to the applicant's bank account via DBT within 30 days. No intermediary. No paperwork delays. Direct transfer.
Annual savings: A household installing a 3 kW system and generating 300 units/month saves Rs. 15,000-18,000 annually on electricity bills — recovering the post-subsidy installation cost in 5-7 years, after which 20+ years of free electricity follow.
How to Apply — Step by Step
- Visit pmsuryaghar.gov.in → Click "Apply for Rooftop Solar"
- Select your state, district, and DISCOM (electricity distributor)
- Enter your electricity consumer account number
- Register with mobile number and email
- Fill the application form with rooftop details and upload documents
- Wait for DISCOM feasibility approval (7-15 days)
- Once approved, select a registered vendor from the DISCOM's empanelled list
- Vendor installs the solar system (typically 1-2 days)
- DISCOM installs the net meter (15-30 days)
- DISCOM conducts site inspection and issues commissioning certificate
- Submit bank account details and cancelled cheque on the portal
- Subsidy credited to bank account within 30 days of commissioning
Key document: Latest electricity bill (for consumer account number), Aadhaar, bank account details.
What NGOs Need to Know — the Practical Reality
1
This scheme is primarily for homeowners with electricity connections — not PVTG or remote tribal communities. The eligibility requirement of a legal electricity connection means communities without grid access — PM-JANMAN PVTG habitations, remote forest villages, off-grid islands — cannot access PM Surya Ghar. For these communities, PM-JANMAN's solar home lighting component and PM-KUSUM's standalone solar pump (Component B) are the relevant solar access schemes.
2
The DISCOM net meter bottleneck is the most common delay. After installation, the DISCOM must install a net meter before subsidy can be released. DISCOM delays in net meter installation — ranging from 30 days to 6+ months in overloaded states — are the most frequently documented barrier. Odisha's DISCOM (TPNODL, TPWODL, NESCO, SOUTHCO, WESCO) performance varies by zone.
3
Registered vendor selection is critical — unregistered vendors create eligibility problems. Only vendors empanelled by the DISCOM are eligible for PM Surya Ghar subsidy. If a household uses a non-empanelled vendor (even a good one), the subsidy cannot be released. NGOs advising communities must verify vendor empanelment at pmsuryaghar.gov.in before any installation.
4
The Odisha Model Solar Village is a specific programme to watch. MNRE's PM Surya Ghar includes a "Model Solar Village" component — one village per district developed as a showcase for rooftop solar adoption. The village receives infrastructure support and awareness activities. NGOs can advocate for their operational village to be identified as the district Model Solar Village through the DISCOM and MNRE.
5
NGO-facilitated community applications can create cluster impact. When an NGO facilitates PM Surya Ghar applications for an entire colony or village — handling the documentation, vendor selection, DISCOM follow-up, and DBT verification collectively — the administrative burden per household drops significantly. Community-scale facilitation is the highest-value PM Surya Ghar engagement model for NGOs.
How JaBaSu Helps NGOs Connect Their Communities
Application facilitation
JaBaSu helps partner NGOs organise PM Surya Ghar registration camps in Odisha's peri-urban and semi-urban communities — facilitating bulk applications, consumer account number verification, and vendor selection from the empanelled list.
Odisha DISCOM interface
JaBaSu maintains relationships with DISCOM project officers in Odisha — facilitating escalation of net meter installation delays and commissioning certificate holdups that prevent subsidy release.
Model Solar Village advocacy
JaBaSu formally advocates with the MNRE and Odisha's energy department for partner NGO communities to be designated as PM Surya Ghar Model Solar Villages — accessing additional programme support and visibility.
PM-KUSUM convergence for off-grid communities
For tribal and PVTG communities without grid electricity who cannot access PM Surya Ghar, JaBaSu facilitates PM-KUSUM Component B (standalone solar pumps) as the appropriate alternative — ensuring that the clean energy access goal is met through the right scheme for each community type.