PM Modi Launches 'PM Surya Ghar: Muft Bijli Yojana' for Solar Rooftops
In a significant move towards promoting sustainable energy practices, Prime Minister Narendra Modi has introduced the 'PM Surya Ghar: Muft Bijli Yojana', a scheme aimed at encouraging households to install solar panels on their rooftops. The announcement, made through X (formerly Twitter), outlined a substantial investment of over Rs 75,000 crores for the initiative, intending to illuminate one crore households by providing up to 300 units of free electricity monthly.
The prime minister highlighted the project's commitment to sustainable development and the well-being of the people. Modi stated in a tweet, "In order to further sustainable development and people’s wellbeing, we are launching the PM Surya Ghar: Muft Bijli Yojana. This project, with an investment of over Rs. 75,000 crores, aims to light up 1 crore households by providing up to 300 units of free electricity every month".
Under this scheme, beneficiaries are set to receive subsidies through direct benefit transfers to their bank accounts, along with access to concessional bank loans. Modi emphasized the government's dedication to ensuring no financial burden on the people, incorporating substantive subsidies and heavily concessional bank loans. All processes will be streamlined through a National Online Portal for added convenience.
To bolster the scheme's outreach at the grassroots level, urban local bodies and panchayats will be incentivized to promote rooftop solar systems within their jurisdictions. The prime minister asserted that the initiative would result in increased income, reduced power bills, and employment generation for the people.
In the interim budget for FY25 presented on February 1, Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman disclosed that the scheme's 10 million beneficiaries could avail themselves of 300 units of free power through rooftop solar installations, leading to annual savings ranging from Rs 15,000 to Rs 18,000.
Union Minister for New and Renewable Energy R.K. Singh, speaking to reporters on February 2, revealed that the subsidy for rooftop solar installations would be increased to about 60% under the new scheme, a significant jump from the current 40%. The move underlines the government's commitment to accelerating the adoption of solar power and fostering sustainable progress. PM Modi urged all residential consumers, especially the youth, to actively support the 'PM Surya Ghar: Muft Bijli Yojana'.