One Year of PM Surya Ghar: Powering Homes with Sunlight

A Year of Clean Energy Milestone

One Year of PM Surya Ghar: Powering Homes with Sunlight: India commemorated the first anniversary of the PM Surya Ghar: Muft Bijli Yojana on February 13, 2025. Launched a year ago by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the scheme is transforming household energy access by promoting rooftop solar systems. With a vision to equip 1 crore homes with solar power by March 2027, this program stands as a symbol of India’s commitment to sustainable and self-reliant energy.

Growing Participation Across India

Within just 12 months, the initiative has seen widespread adoption. By January 2025, over 8.46 lakh households had installed rooftop solar panels. The rate of adoption has surged to 70,000 installations per month, marking a tenfold increase since the scheme’s inception. So far, the government has released more than ₹4,308 crore in Central Financial Assistance (CFA) to support around 5.54 lakh families, with the average subsidy amounting to ₹77,800 per home. Nearly 45% of these homes now enjoy zero electricity bills.

Affordable and Flexible Solar Solutions

The scheme offers a tiered subsidy system based on energy usage. Households consuming up to 150 units/month qualify for 1–2 kW systems, receiving ₹30,000 to ₹60,000 in aid. Users in the 150–300 units range can get up to ₹78,000, while higher consumption homes receive fixed assistance for systems above 3 kW. Applicants can easily register via the National Rooftop Solar Portal, and CFA is typically transferred within 15 days of claim approval. To further support access, loans up to 3 kW capacity are provided at 7% interest, ensuring affordability for low- and middle-income families.

Environmental and Employment Benefits

The scheme goes beyond household savings. Over a span of 25 years, the installed rooftop systems are expected to generate 1,000 billion units of electricity, potentially reducing 720 million tonnes of CO₂ emissions. It aligns with India’s international climate pledges and reinforces the clean energy transition. On the economic front, the project is poised to create 17 lakh green jobs in installation, servicing, and solar panel manufacturing, offering livelihood opportunities across both urban and rural sectors.

Rural Outreach Through Model Solar Villages

A standout component of the scheme is the establishment of Model Solar Villages. One village per district—with a population of over 5,000 residents (or 2,000 in hilly or special category states)—will receive ₹1 crore in funding to demonstrate large-scale solar adoption. A total of ₹800 crore has been earmarked for this rural initiative, aiming to boost local energy independence and encourage more villages to embrace clean energy practices.

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