A Solar Loan Mela was organised on Wednesday, 6 May at the Electricity Division Office in Biharsharif, Nalanda district, to connect Bihar residents with the PM Surya Ghar Muft Bijli Yojana and expand awareness of rooftop solar subsidies and affordable bank loans. The event saw loans sanctioned for 88 beneficiaries and over 100 new consumer registrations on a single day.

Event Inauguration and Key Officials

The mela was jointly inaugurated by District Magistrate Kundan Kumar, Deputy Development Commissioner Shubham Kumar, and Superintending Engineer Manish Kant. A large number of residents applied under the scheme, with officials underscoring that affordable rooftop solar loans could substantially reduce household electricity bills over time.

What the Scheme Offers

Superintending Engineer Manish Kant outlined the subsidy structure: ₹30,000 for a 1-kilowatt system, ₹60,000 for a 2-kilowatt system, and ₹78,000 for a 3-kilowatt system. With installation costs averaging around ₹60,000 per kilowatt, banks are offering loans at interest rates ranging from 5 to 6 per cent. Loans of up to ₹2 lakh can be availed with basic documentation — identity proof, address proof, and electricity bills.

Kant added that the scheme enables households to become both consumers and producers of electricity, effectively turning rooftops into micro power plants.

Scale and Coverage Targets

Under the first phase of the programme, the district administration has set a target of covering 2,000 non-BPL households and 10,000 BPL households. Officials confirmed that BPL families would receive solar panels free of cost, while non-BPL households can access subsidised loans. Executive Engineer Vikas Kumar said solar panels would be installed at beneficiaries' homes within one week of loan sanction.

Banking Access Across Nalanda

Vipul Saurabh, Regional Manager of Bihar Gramin Bank, said all 104 branches of the bank across Nalanda district are facilitating scheme access. He noted the initiative would benefit both citizens and the country by promoting energy self-reliance amid global uncertainties.

Why It Matters: The Energy Case

District Magistrate Kundan Kumar emphasised that solar adoption is not merely about cutting electricity costs but is integral to nation-building and environmental protection. He noted that India imports nearly 80 per cent of its crude oil requirement, making domestic renewable energy expansion critical to realising the vision of an Aatmanirbhar Bharat. He also highlighted that a single rooftop solar unit helps reduce carbon emissions equivalent to planting around 100 trees annually. Beneficiaries including Pratik Raj, Dharmaraj Prasad, and Sandeep Kumar expressed optimism that the initiative would reduce their electricity bills to nearly zero.