The plan to install solar plants on rooftops and provide free electricity up to 300 units per family every month to one crore families has been approved. Every family will get a subsidy of Rs 30,000 for a plant of one kilowatt capacity and Rs 60,000 for a plant of two kilowatt capacity.
The Union Cabinet on Thursday approved the PM-Surya Ghar: Free Electricity Scheme (PM-Surya Ghar Muft Bijli Yojana). This will cost Rs 75,021 crore. Under the scheme, one crore houses will get financial assistance to install solar plants on their rooftops. After the Union Cabinet meeting, Information and Broadcasting Minister Anurag Thakur said that the plan to install solar plants on rooftops and provide 300 units of free electricity per family every month to one crore families has been approved. Every family will get a subsidy of Rs 30,000 for a plant of one kilowatt capacity and Rs 60,000 for a plant of two kilowatt capacity.
How can I apply?
For those families who want to take advantage of this scheme, the national portal https://pmsuryaghar.gov.in/ has been launched. By applying on this portal, they will be able to select the vendor and rooftop solar as per their choice and convenience. After the installation of rooftop solar by the vendor, the net metering of DISCOMs will be installed and its proof will be uploaded on the portal, after which the subsidy amount will be transferred directly to the customer’s bank account by the Government of India.
The government has said that the remaining cost of rooftop solar panels will also be available to the beneficiaries of the scheme through the portal in the form of loan at affordable interest rates from banks. Banks will not charge interest more than 0.5% above the repo rate.
There will be a saving of Rs 15,000 annually
Under this scheme, even if the beneficiaries pay the loan installment every month from the savings in electricity bills, they will still have savings. For example, if a consumer consuming 300 units of electricity installs a 3 kW rooftop solar plant, he will get the entire electricity free, and will not have to pay the electricity bill of around Rs 1875 every month. Out of this savings, even after paying EMI of about Rs 610, an amount of about Rs 1265 will be left, that is, more than Rs 15,000 will be saved every year.
RWA/Group Housing Societies will also be given a subsidy of Rs 18,000 per KW for rooftop solar plants up to 500 KW for common area lighting, EV charging etc.
