Residents of Atarmara village in Gariaband district, Chhattisgarh, are reporting dramatic reductions in household electricity bills — with several claiming their power costs have dropped to zero — after enrolling under the PM Surya Ghar: Muft Bijli Yojana. The rooftop solar scheme, billed as the world's largest domestic solar initiative, is generating tangible relief for lower-income families across the region.

How the Scheme Is Working on the Ground

Villagers in Atarmara who installed rooftop solar panels under the scheme report that their monthly electricity bills have either halved or been eliminated entirely. Some households are producing surplus power and feeding units back into the grid, effectively monetising their solar installations.

Surendra Kumar Sen, a local resident, had a 3-kilowatt solar panel system installed at his home. Over the past three months, the system generated between 700 and 800 units of electricity. His monthly bill, which previously ranged from ₹900 to ₹1,100, has been cut drastically as a result.

Subsidy Structure: Centre and State Share the Cost

Under the scheme, Surendra Kumar Sen received a total subsidy of ₹1.08 lakh during installation. Of this, ₹78,000 came from the Central government and ₹30,000 from the Chhattisgarh state government. The combined subsidy significantly reduces the upfront cost burden on beneficiaries, making the scheme accessible to households that would otherwise be unable to afford solar infrastructure.

Beneficiaries Describe the Impact

Another beneficiary from the village said the scheme had brought meaningful relief. 'PM Surya Ghar Yojana has brought benefits to many ordinary beneficiaries. I installed a 3-kilowatt solar panel system at my home three months ago. During this period, the system generated around 700 to 800 units of electricity. I have received considerable relief on my electricity bill; previously, the cost ranged from ₹900 to ₹1,100, now I am actually feeding about 70 to 80 units back to the grid,' the beneficiary said.

Others described the Central welfare scheme as highly beneficial for lower-income groups, noting it provides sustained relief from the burden of high power bills — a recurring strain for rural and semi-urban households in Chhattisgarh.

About PM Surya Ghar: Muft Bijli Yojana

The PM Surya Ghar: Muft Bijli Yojana is described as the world's largest domestic rooftop solar initiative. Its stated goal is to supply solar power to more than one crore households across India by March 2027. The scheme aims to transform India's residential energy landscape by combining Central and state subsidies with grid-connectivity provisions that allow surplus power to be sold back to distribution companies.

The developments in Gariaband offer an early on-ground signal of how the scheme is translating into lived savings — and whether the policy's ambitions can scale beyond pilot pockets to reach its one-crore household target.