GUWAHATI: The Union Cabinet has given the nod to PM-Surya Ghar: Muft Bijli Yojana, with a total allocation of ₹75,021 crore. The scheme aims to facilitate the installation of rooftop solar panels and provide free electricity up to 300 units every month for one crore households. Prime Minister Narendra Modi had officially launched the scheme on February 13, 2024.
Central Financial Assistance for Residential Rooftop Solar:
• The scheme offers a Central Financial Assistance (CFA) of 60% of the system cost for 2 kW systems and 40% of the additional system cost for systems ranging between 2 to 3 kW capacity.
• The CFA will be capped at 3 kW, providing subsidies of ₹30,000 for 1 kW systems, ₹60,000 for 2 kW systems, and ₹78,000 for 3 kW systems or higher.
• Households can apply for subsidies through the National Portal, where they can select a suitable vendor for the installation of rooftop solar panels. The portal will aid households in decision-making by offering relevant information such as appropriate system sizes, benefits calculators, and vendor ratings.
• Collateral-free, low-interest loan products of around 7% will be made available for the installation of residential rooftop solar systems up to 3 kW.
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Other Features of the Scheme:
• A Model Solar Village will be established in each district to serve as a benchmark for the adoption of rooftop solar in rural areas.
• Urban Local Bodies and Panchayati Raj Institutions will receive incentives for promoting rooftop solar installations in their jurisdictions.
• The scheme includes provisions for payment security for renewable energy service company (RESCO) based models, as well as funds for innovative projects in rooftop solar.
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Outcome and Impact:
• The scheme is expected to enable households to save on electricity bills and earn additional income by selling surplus power to DISCOMs.
• A 3 kW system is estimated to generate more than 300 units of electricity per month for a household.
• The scheme aims to add 30 GW of solar capacity through rooftop solar in the residential sector, generating 1000 BUs of electricity and reducing 720 million tonnes of CO2 equivalent emissions over the 25-year lifetime of rooftop systems.
• It is projected to create approximately 17 lakh direct jobs in manufacturing, logistics, supply chain, sales, installation, O&M, and other services.
To avail benefits under the scheme, households can register themselves on the official website: https://pmsuryaghar.gov.in.
