The Karnataka government on Wednesday, 20 May 2026 flagged off a statewide LED mobile van awareness campaign at the Bangalore Electricity Supply Company (BESCOM) corporate office to promote the PM Surya Ghar: Muft Bijli Yojana and accelerate rooftop solar adoption across the state. The campaign was launched by Additional Chief Secretary of the Energy Department, Gaurav Gupta, as part of the 'Month of Solar – May 2026' initiative.

Campaign Scope and Cities Covered

The 15-day awareness drive will span major cities including Bengaluru, Mysuru, Mangaluru, Hubballi-Dharwad, and Kalaburagi. LED-equipped mobile vans will display videos, animations, beneficiary testimonials, and informational content in Kannada and English, educating the public on subsidies, registration procedures, and long-term financial benefits available under the Central government scheme.

BESCOM has been designated as the nodal agency for Karnataka, responsible for awareness activities, implementation, and monitoring of the scheme across all Electricity Supply Company jurisdictions in the state.

Karnataka's Progress Under the Scheme

According to Gaurav Gupta, Karnataka has so far commissioned 19,293 rooftop solar systems under the PM Surya Ghar scheme, with a total installed capacity of 77.5 MW. Within BESCOM limits alone, 7,992 solar systems with a combined capacity of 35.57 MW have been installed. This comes amid a broader national push by the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE) to encourage domestic consumers to shift to rooftop solar power.

Subsidies and Financial Benefits for Consumers

Under the scheme, domestic consumers are eligible for a subsidy of ₹30,000 for a 1 kW rooftop solar system, ₹60,000 for a 2 kW system, and up to ₹78,000 for systems with a capacity above 3 kW. Officials noted that the scheme can reduce electricity bills for up to 25 years and generate additional household income through surplus power sold back to Electricity Supply Companies.

Gupta highlighted that consumers can export surplus electricity to the grid and receive payments from their respective Electricity Supply Companies. 'Consumers can export surplus electricity generated from rooftop solar systems to the power grid and receive payments from Electricity Supply Companies for the additional units supplied. The awareness campaign is aimed at educating the public about these benefits,' he said.

What the Government Said

Energy Minister K.J. George said the scheme would promote environmental sustainability while easing household electricity costs. 'Urban residents are showing increasing interest in the scheme and availing subsidy benefits. Our objective is to ensure that more people benefit from it,' he said. Maintenance costs for rooftop solar systems are minimal, officials added.

Consumers can apply for installations through the official MNRE portal, while BESCOM has set up a dedicated solar helpline for guidance. Senior officials including BESCOM Managing Director (in-charge) Vaishali M.L., Technical Director Ramesh H.J., Chief General Manager (Projects) Syed Manzoor Hussain, and General Manager (Demand Side Management) Uma H.M. were present at the launch.

With Karnataka already approaching 77.5 MW of installed rooftop solar capacity under the scheme, the 15-day campaign is expected to push enrolment further ahead of the May 2026 deadline for the 'Month of Solar' drive.