Beneficiaries of the Pradhan Mantri Surya Ghar Muft Bijli Yojana in Chhattisgarh and Odisha on 16 October 2026 reported that the rooftop solar scheme has eliminated their monthly electricity bills entirely and opened the door to additional income through net metering — where surplus power generated by household panels is fed back into the grid. The scheme, jointly implemented by the Centre and state governments, is being positioned as a pillar of India's household energy self-reliance push.

How the Scheme Works on the Ground

Under the PM Surya Ghar Muft Bijli Yojana, eligible households receive subsidies from both the Central and state governments to install rooftop solar panels. The scheme aims to provide affordable and sustainable energy to citizens across the country, with a particular focus on reducing the financial burden of electricity costs on low- and middle-income families.

Rooftop installations are connected to the local grid via net metering arrangements, allowing households to earn credits or income from the surplus power they generate — effectively turning energy consumers into micro-producers.

Voices from Chhattisgarh: Dhamtari District

In Dhamtari district of Chhattisgarh, residents reported significant relief from what had previously been a persistent household burden. Beneficiary Rudra Prakash Sahu said he installed a 3-kilowatt solar panel system on his rooftop and has since paid nothing on his electricity account.

'I received a subsidy of ₹78,000 from the Central government and ₹30,000 from the state government, which has provided me with significant financial relief,' Sahu said. He noted that monthly electricity bills had previously been a major household challenge. 'Furthermore, the surplus electricity generated by the system is fed back into the grid through net metering, creating the potential for additional income,' he added, expressing gratitude to Prime Minister Narendra Modi for the welfare initiative.

Odisha Beneficiary Reports Greater Convenience

Bijay Kumar Mishra from Kendujhar in Odisha echoed similar sentiments. 'A solar system has been installed at our home under the PM Surya Ghar scheme. The electricity bill has come down drastically. Previously, we also faced a lot of inconvenience while working, but now it has become very convenient,' Mishra said.

His remarks point to a secondary benefit beyond cost savings — reliable daytime power supply that reduces dependence on grid outages, which remain a concern in several parts of eastern India.

Broader Significance and What's Next

The scheme contributes to India's wider renewable energy goals and is designed to drive household-level environmental impact alongside financial savings. By pairing subsidy support with net metering infrastructure, the programme attempts to create a self-sustaining adoption loop — lower bills incentivise uptake, which in turn expands distributed solar generation capacity.

Notably, the dual-subsidy model — Central plus state — reflects a co-operative federalism approach to energy transition that is being closely watched by other states yet to roll out equivalent top-ups. As enrolments grow, the long-term test will be whether grid infrastructure in districts like Dhamtari and Kendujhar can scale to absorb rising volumes of household-generated power through net metering.