Power Your Home for Free: A Simple Guide to the PM Surya Ghar Yojana
Table of Contents
- Introduction
- What is the PM Surya Ghar Yojana?
- Why Join? The Benefits of PM Surya Ghar Yojana
- Can You Join? Checking if You're Eligible
- Money Help: Understanding the Subsidy
- How to Apply: Step-by-Step
- What You Need: Key Documents
- Progress So Far: PM Surya Ghar Yojana Across India
- Helping Villages: The Model Solar Village Initiative
- Common Questions (FAQs)
- In Conclusion
Introduction
Imagine getting much lower electricity bills, or even no bill at all! The Pradhan Mantri Surya Ghar Yojana is making this possible for many homes in India. This big plan helps people use solar power. It can give you free electricity and even a chance to earn money. Already, 10 lakh homes are using solar power thanks to this program.
Started in February 2024, the PM Surya Ghar Yojana wants to reach 1 crore homes. Lots of people are signing up quickly, with 10 lakh homes already done. This shows that people want clean energy. This scheme is also known as the "world's largest domestic rooftop solar initiative".
What is the PM Surya Ghar Yojana?
Prime Minister Narendra Modi launched the PM Surya Ghar Yojana on February 13, 2024. The main goal is to put solar panels on the roofs of 1 crore homes in India by March 2027.
Read in PunjabiThe best part of the scheme is that it promises free electricity, up to 300 units every month, by using these solar panels. You can also earn extra money by selling any extra electricity your panels make back to the power company (DISCOM).
The government is spending a lot of money on this – ₹75,021 crore until the year 2027. The scheme was first called PM Suryodaya Yojana but was later changed to PM Surya Ghar: Muft Bijli Yojana. This new name highlights the "free electricity" part, which is very attractive to people. The big investment shows the government really wants to promote solar power across the country.
Why Join? The Benefits of PM Surya Ghar Yojana
Joining the PM Surya Ghar Yojana has many advantages. It can save you money and help the environment.
Free Electricity and Lower Bills
The biggest benefit is free electricity from the solar panels. This can really lower or even completely remove your monthly electricity bills. Many homes could save between ₹15,000 and ₹18,000 each year on electricity. Free electricity and big savings are the most appealing parts of this scheme.
Earn Money by Selling Extra Power
The scheme uses something called net metering. This means you can sell any extra solar power you make back to the power grid and get paid for it. This helps you save even more and can even give you some extra income. Getting free electricity and earning money from extra power makes this scheme a great choice.
Help the Environment
By using solar power, you help make the environment cleaner. This scheme is expected to reduce carbon dioxide emissions by about 720 million tonnes over 25 years. Solar energy also helps improve air quality by using less of the fuels that pollute the air. Each solar setup is like planting 100 trees in terms of reducing carbon.
Savings for the Government and the Country
When many people use rooftop solar power, the government is expected to save around ₹75,000 crore every year on electricity costs. These big savings are good for the country in the long run.
More Jobs in Renewable Energy
The PM Surya Ghar Yojana is also expected to create about 17 lakh direct jobs in making, moving, selling, installing, and taking care of solar power systems. This will help the economy and create good jobs for people, especially young people with technical skills.
Can You Join? Checking if You're Eligible
To join the PM Surya Ghar Yojana, you need to meet some requirements:
- You must be a citizen of India.
- You must own a house with a roof that can hold solar panels.
- You need to have a valid electricity connection in your name, and you should pay your bills regularly.
- You should not have already received a subsidy for solar panels.
Some unofficial sources mention other things like having an annual income below ₹2 lakh or between ₹1 lakh and ₹1.5 lakh, and not being a government employee or someone who pays income tax. However, the main official rules are about being an Indian citizen, owning the property, having a valid electricity connection, and not having gotten other solar subsidies before. It's best to check the official scheme guidelines for the most accurate and latest information.
Money Help: Understanding the Subsidy
The PM Surya Ghar Yojana gives a lot of money to help you afford solar power. Here's how the subsidy works:
- For solar systems up to 2 kW in size, you get ₹30,000 for each kW, which is ₹60,000 in total.
- If you add more capacity, up to 3 kW total, you get another ₹18,000 for each extra kW. So, for a 3kW system, the total subsidy is ₹78,000.
- For systems bigger than 3 kW, the total subsidy is still capped at ₹78,000.
Homes in certain special states can get an extra 10% subsidy per kW. Also, the scheme helps you get low-interest loans (around 6.75% to 7%) up to ₹2 lakh without needing to put up anything as security. This is for installing rooftop solar systems up to 3 kW through some government-owned banks. You don't even need to show income papers for loans up to ₹2 lakh.
| Average Monthly Electricity Use (units) | Good Size for Your Solar Plant | Subsidy You Can Get |
|---|---|---|
| 0-150 | 1-2 kW | ₹30,000 - ₹60,000 |
| 150-300 | 2-3 kW | ₹60,000 - ₹78,000 |
| > 300 | More than 3 kW | ₹78,000 |
How to Apply: Step-by-Step
Applying for the PM Surya Ghar Yojana is easy and can be done online through the National Portal:
- Sign Up: Go to the official website: https://pmsuryaghar.gov.in/. Choose your state and power company (DISCOM). Enter your electricity account number, phone number, and email. Verify your phone with the OTP you get and save your info.
- Apply Online: Log in to the portal. Click on "Rooftop Solar" and fill out the online form with details about how much electricity you use and your roof size.
- Get Approval: Your power company will check your application and see if your roof is good for solar panels.
- Install Panels: Once approved, you can pick a company from the list on the portal and get your solar power system installed.
- Apply for Net Meter: After installation, put the details of your solar system on the portal and apply for a net meter.
- Inspection: The power company will check the installed system and put in the net meter. If everything is okay, you'll get a certificate on the portal.
- Get Your Money: After getting the certificate, enter your bank account details and upload a cancelled cheque on the portal. The subsidy money will be sent to your bank account in about 15 to 30 days.
What You Need: Key Documents
When you apply for the PM Surya Ghar Yojana, you'll usually need these documents:
- ID Proof: Aadhar card, passport, or other government ID.
- Address Proof: Recent electricity bill, property tax receipt, or other government address proof.
- Latest Electricity Bill: To check your account number and how much power you use.
- Proof of Roof Ownership: Property papers or house tax receipt to show you own the roof.
- Bank Passbook: A copy showing your bank details for the subsidy.
- Passport Photo: A recent photo of yourself.
- Ration Card, Income Certificate, and Domicile Certificate: Some places mention these, but it's best to check the official website for the exact list of documents you need.
Progress So Far: PM Surya Ghar Yojana Across India
The PM Surya Ghar Yojana is already making a big difference across the country. By March 10, 2025, 10 lakh homes have been powered by solar under this scheme. Some states are doing really well, with Chandigarh and Daman & Diu reaching 100% of their goals for putting solar on government buildings. Other states like Rajasthan, Maharashtra, Gujarat, and Tamil Nadu are also adding a lot to the total number of installations.
The government is keeping an eye on how things are going in all states to make sure they reach the goal of 1 crore homes by 2026-27. So far, they've received over 47.3 lakh applications, and the government has given out ₹4,770 crore in subsidies to 6.13 lakh people.
Helping Villages: The Model Solar Village Initiative
The PM Surya Ghar Yojana also wants to help villages use solar power. They have a plan called "Model Solar Village". The goal is to have one Model Solar Village in each district of India. This will help villages become self-sufficient in energy by using solar power.
They have set aside ₹800 crore for this, and each chosen Model Solar Village will get ₹1 crore. To be chosen, a village needs to have a population of over 5,000 people (or 2,000 in some special states). Villages will be judged on how much renewable energy they are using six months after being identified. The village with the most renewable energy in each district will get the ₹1 crore grant.
Common Questions (FAQs)
It's a government plan to give free electricity to 1 crore homes in India by installing solar panels on their roofs. It aims to lower electricity bills and promote clean energy.
Indian citizens who own a house with a suitable roof for solar panels, have a valid electricity connection, and haven't gotten a solar panel subsidy before can join.
You get free electricity, lower or no electricity bills, a chance to earn money by selling extra power, you help the environment, and it creates jobs.
You can get ₹30,000 per kW for systems up to 2 kW, and ₹18,000 per kW for extra capacity up to 3 kW, with a total limit of ₹78,000.
You can apply online by going to the official website (https://pmsuryaghar.gov.in/), signing up, filling out the form, and following the steps on the website.
You'll need your ID proof, address proof, recent electricity bill, proof of roof ownership, bank passbook, and a passport-size photo.
Yes, you can get low-interest loans up to ₹2 lakh without needing security for systems up to 3 kW through some government banks.
The official website is https://pmsuryaghar.gov.in/.
It's when you can send extra electricity your solar panels make back to the power grid and get credit for it, which can lower your bills or earn you money.
Once you submit the required reports and bank details, the subsidy is usually sent to your account within 15 to 30 days.
In Conclusion
The PM Surya Ghar Yojana is a great chance for homeowners in India to use clean energy, save money on electricity, and help the environment. With lots of progress already made, this scheme is really helping to bring solar power to homes across the country. If you want to save money, become more energy independent, and help the planet, we encourage you to visit the official website at https://pmsuryaghar.gov.in/ to learn more and start your solar journey.
