Kondagaon (Chhattisgarh), Oct 15 (NationPress) The PM Surya Ghar: Muft Bijli Yojana is emerging as a pivotal program aimed at making household electricity consumers energy independent. This initiative not only advocates for renewable energy but also enhances the economic capacity of its users.

Through this scheme, homeowners are receiving incentives for the installation of rooftop solar systems, which lead to decreased electricity costs and the opportunity to earn from surplus energy production.

Vikas Soni, a resident of Kondagaon, has reaped the benefits of this program by fitting solar panels on his house. He discovered the Pradhan Mantri Surya Ghar Yojana via the local electricity office and registered online. An authorized vendor installed a 3-kilowatt solar system on his property.

Just two months following the installation, he received a remarkable subsidy of Rs 78,000. His prior monthly electricity expenses of Rs 2,000 to Rs 2,500 have now plummeted to zero, significantly easing his financial burden.

He noted that the solar panels produce between 15 to 20 units of electricity daily. The excess energy is fed back into the grid, generating additional income. Soni highlighted that utilizing solar energy effectively has led to a reduction in carbon emissions, thus aiding in environmental conservation.

Grateful to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Soni encouraged fellow citizens to consider installing solar systems on their residences.

The central and state governments offer subsidies to beneficiaries for rooftop solar installations, which vary according to the system’s capacity.

For a 1-kilowatt system, costing approximately Rs 65,000, a subsidy of Rs 30,000 will be provided by the Central government and Rs 15,000 by the state government.

For 2 kilowatts, at a total cost of Rs 1,30,000, the subsidy will amount to Rs 60,000.

For systems exceeding 3 kilowatts, priced at Rs 1,95,000, a subsidy of Rs 78,000 from the Central government and Rs 30,000 from the state government will be available.

The beneficiary’s share is limited to 10 percent, with banks offering loans for the rest at a 7 percent interest rate.

The PM Surya Ghar: Muft Bijli Yojana was officially launched on February 29, 2024, to enhance rooftop solar capacity and enable residential households to produce their own electricity. The program has an allocation of Rs 75,021 crore and is set to run until the fiscal year 2026–27.

Implementation will be overseen by a National Programme Implementation Agency (NPIA) at the national level and by State Implementation Agencies (SIAs) at the state level.

At the state/UT level, the Distribution Utility (DISCOMs) or Power/Energy Departments will act as State Implementation Agencies (SIAs).

The scheme mandates that DISCOMs undertake various initiatives to promote rooftop solar in their regions, including the provision of net meters, prompt inspections and commissioning of installations, vendor registration, and collaboration for solarizing government buildings.

Subsidies of up to 60 percent of the solar unit cost are available for systems up to 2kW capacity, and 40 percent for systems between 2 to 3kW capacity, capped at 3kW.