MNRE Tightens Serial Number Verification Rules Under PM-Surya Ghar Scheme

The Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE) has introduced an important update to the PM-Surya Ghar: Muft Bijli Yojana aimed at improving the verification process of solar equipment details and strengthening data accuracy across the scheme. In an office memorandum dated May 11, 2026, the Ministry has decided to stop the earlier practice that allowed vendors to submit applications with repeated solar module or inverter serial numbers by providing a simple undertaking.

This provision was earlier permitted on the National Portal to address issues such as manual entry errors or discrepancies in reporting. However, the government has now found the need for a more reliable and automated system to avoid misuse and ensure better traceability of installed solar systems. The new rule will come into effect for all applications submitted after May 26, 2026.

To improve the process, the National Portal has now been integrated with the Domestic Content Requirement (DCR) verification system operated by the National Institute of Solar Energy (NISE). Under the scheme rules, all solar modules must be domestically manufactured using Indian-made solar cells. With this integration, vendors will now be required to generate a B2C DCR certificate for each consumer installation.

Once a 16-digit certificate number is entered into the National Portal, the system will automatically retrieve the correct solar module serial numbers and capacity details. This is expected to significantly reduce manual errors and improve data consistency. However, inverter serial numbers will still need to be entered manually, and any duplicate entries will be automatically flagged by the system for further review.

For applications already submitted with repeated serial numbers, vendors will be required to correct the data and provide the necessary undertaking. At the same time, distribution companies (DISCOMs) have been instructed to re-verify such flagged cases to ensure accuracy. These applications will also be given priority for third-party inspection to maintain transparency and uphold the quality standards of rooftop solar installations under the scheme.