The PM Surya Ghar: Muft Bijli Yojana has reached an important milestone by completing over 10.09 lakh rooftop solar installations across India as of 10th March 2025. Launched by Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi on 13th February 2024, this is the world’s largest domestic rooftop solar initiative. The scheme aims to provide free electricity to one crore residential households by promoting the installation of rooftop solar systems. It also focuses on reducing the country’s dependence on conventional power sources and encourages citizens to become energy producers. By adopting rooftop solar under this scheme, every household can contribute to protecting the environment. The reduction in carbon emissions from one rooftop solar system is equal to planting 100 trees.
The scheme is being implemented by the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE) and has already received 47.3 lakh applications. Out of these, 6.13 lakh beneficiaries have received subsidies worth ₹4,770 crore. The entire process, from application to vendor selection and subsidy disbursement, is automated and done online through the official website, http://www.pmsuryaghar.gov.in. Once the solar installation is complete, the subsidy amount is credited to the applicant’s bank account within 15 days.
One of the major features of the PM Surya Ghar: Muft Bijli Yojana is the easy loan facility. Beneficiaries can avail of collateral-free loans from 12 Public Sector Banks at a subsidized interest rate of 6.75% for loans up to ₹2 lakh. This makes rooftop solar installations affordable for common households. With this loan, a family can install a 3-kilowatt rooftop solar system by investing as little as ₹15,000. Over 25 years, this system can give returns of up to ₹15 lakh through savings on electricity bills. The loan application process is also fully automated and online. So far, 3.10 lakh loan applications have been submitted. Of these, 1.58 lakh loans have been sanctioned and 1.28 lakh have been disbursed. The scheme provides a subsidy of up to ₹78,000 for the installation of a rooftop solar system of up to 3 kilowatts, reducing the upfront cost significantly.
The scheme is showing remarkable progress in several states. Chandigarh and Daman & Diu have already achieved 100% of their rooftop solar targets for government buildings. States like Rajasthan, Maharashtra, Gujarat, and Tamil Nadu are also performing well and contributing to the overall installation numbers. The central government is closely monitoring progress across the country to ensure the smooth and timely implementation of the scheme. The goal is to reach one crore households by the year 2026-27.
The PM Surya Ghar: Muft Bijli Yojana has a total budget of ₹75,021 crore. To make financing easier, the Union Minister of New and Renewable Energy, Shri Pralhad Joshi, recently held a meeting with top bankers during a National Workshop on Mobilizing Finance for Renewable Energy in Mumbai. He urged banks to ensure smooth loan disbursement under the scheme. Discussions focused on lowering financing costs, finding new financing models, improving access to global climate funds, and sharing risks associated with new technologies. The meeting also emphasized the importance of public-private partnerships and expanding green finance instruments to support India’s shift towards clean energy.
The government is also encouraging the use of rooftop solar systems in public buildings. This helps reduce energy costs and sets an example for the commercial and industrial sectors to adopt solar power on a larger scale.
Under Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi’s leadership and the Aatmanirbhar Bharat initiative, the scheme mandates the use of domestically manufactured solar modules and cells. As of March 2025, the scheme has already helped install over 3 GW of rooftop solar capacity. An additional 27 GW is targeted by March 2027. The scheme is also boosting domestic production of inverters and other essential components, supporting the Make in India vision.
The MNRE, under the guidance of Shri Pralhad Joshi, is working to speed up implementation, build the necessary infrastructure, ensure timely subsidy payments, and raise awareness. The scheme continues to receive strong support from the public and the government. It represents a major step towards a cleaner, greener, and energy-secure future for India.
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