Surya Ghar Muft Bijli Yojana Sees About 1 Crore Registration Since Launch: PM Shares Good News

New Delhi: As part of his ‘Viksit Bharat’ vision, Prime Minister Narendra Modi has launched several welfare schemes and developmental projects in the country. The PM Surya Ghar Yojana 2024: Free Electricity Scheme is one such project.

The rooftop solar programme announced in the interim Budget tabled on February 1 is known as PM Surya Ghar: Muft Bijli Yojana. Launched by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on February 13, 2024, the PM Surya Ghar Yojana 2024: Free Electricity Scheme is a government scheme that aims to provide free electricity to households across India. 

Taking to his official X handle on Saturday, PM Modi shared some good news with the nation related to the welfare scheme.

Expressing his contentment over the massive response the project has received in about a month since it was launched, PM Modi said, “Outstanding news! In about a month since it was launched, over 1 crore households have already registered themselves for the PM-Surya Ghar: Muft Bijli Yojana.” 

The Prime Minister further said that Assam, Bihar, Gujarat, Maharashtra, Odisha, Tamil Nadu and Uttar Pradesh have seen over 5 lakh regulations.

“Registrations have been pouring in from all parts of the nation. Assam, Bihar, Gujarat, Maharashtra, Odisha, Tamil Nadu and Uttar Pradesh have seen over 5 lakh regulations,” PM Modi shared, urging those who haven’t registered yet to do so at the earliest.

What Is the PM Surya Ghar Yojana 2024: Free Electricity Scheme

Under the scheme, households will be provided subsidies to install solar panels on their rooftops. The subsidy will cover up to 50 per cent of the cost of solar panels. The scheme is expected to benefit 1 crore families across India. It is estimated that this scheme will save the government a huge sum. With an investment of Rs 75,000 crore per year, the benefits of the project include 300 units free electricity every month and installing solar panels.

Who Is Eligible for the Scheme

• Almost all citizens of India are eligible for this scheme.
• The household whose annual income is moderate or below average is eligible for subsidy for PM Surya Ghar Yojana.
• Solar panels under PM Surya Ghar Yojana will be installed only in those houses whose annual income is less than Rs 8 lakh.
• It is mandatory for the person who wants to apply for this scheme to have a roof over his house.
• There should be enough space to install solar panels on the applicant's house.
• No member of the family should be a government servant.
• No member of the family should be a taxpayer for installing solar panels under Surya Ghar Yojana.

To popularise this scheme at the grassroots, Urban Local Bodies and Panchayats shall be incentivised to promote rooftop solar systems in their jurisdictions.

According to the government, the benefits expected from this solarisation are savings up to Rs 15,000-18,000 crore annually for households from free solar electricity and selling the surplus to the distribution companies; charging of electric vehicles; entrepreneurship opportunities for a large number of vendors for supply and installation; and employment opportunities for the youth with technical skills in manufacturing, installation and maintenance. India meets a sizable portion of its energy needs through coal-fired electricity, and this solar rooftop programme could be seen as an avenue to reduce the dependence of conventional sources of power.

India Commits to Ambitious Five-Part "Panchamrit" Pledge

At COP26 held in 2021, India committed to an ambitious five-part "Panchamrit" pledge. It included reaching 500 GW of non-fossil electricity capacity, generating half of all energy requirements from renewables, and reducing emissions by 1 billion tonnes by 2030. India as a whole also aims to reduce the emissions intensity of GDP by 45 per cent and has committed to net-zero emissions by 2070.

About 44 per cent of India's energy requirements at present come from non-fossil sources and are likely to touch as high as 65 per cent by 2030, much higher than what the country pledged at the COP summit in 2021, Union Minister RK Singh, who handles power and renewable portfolio, said.