Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE)
PM Surya Ghar Yojana 2026: Rs 78,000 subsidy, apply guide
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Objective
PM Surya Ghar: Muft Bijli Yojana aims to install rooftop solar panels on 1 crore Indian households by FY 2026-27, giving each family up to 300 units of free electricity per month and the ability to earn money by selling surplus power back to the grid.
Eligibility Criteria
- Any Indian household with a valid electricity connection from a registered DISCOM
- Own roof or terrace where solar panels can be installed (rented premises may require landlord's consent)
- Applicable to all states and union territories across India
- No income limit. All categories including BPL, APL, urban, and rural households
- Previously sanctioned solar installations under other schemes may not be eligible
Benefits & Features
- 1Subsidy of up to ₹30,000 for 1-2 kW systems (₹30,000/kW)
- 2Subsidy of up to ₹18,000 for the 3rd kW (₹18,000/kW. Total ₹78,000 for a 3 kW system)
- 3300 units of free electricity per month. Enough for a typical Indian household
- 4Income from selling surplus power to the grid at approved rates
- 510-year life of solar panels with minimal maintenance cost after installation
Required Documents
- Aadhaar card (for beneficiary registration)
- Current electricity bill (to verify DISCOM connection and consumer number)
- Proof of ownership of house/roof (property document, ration card, or tax receipt)
- Bank account details (Aadhaar-linked for subsidy transfer)
- Cancelled cheque
How to Apply
Frequently Asked Questions
| Why did PM Surya Ghar stop new registrations from 6 June 2026? | MNRE paused new registrations on pmsuryaghar.gov.in from 6 June 2026 to clear the backlog of 60.95 lakh applications submitted since launch and to streamline vendor and DISCOM capacity in the top-adopting states before opening a fresh registration round. No formal reopening date has been published. Existing batches continue installation, DISCOM inspection, net metering, and subsidy disbursement as normal. |
| How long does the PM Surya Ghar subsidy take to credit after installation? | Subsidy is disbursed to the applicant's registered bank account within 30 days of successful DISCOM commissioning and net meter installation. End-to-end from application to subsidy credit runs 90 to 120 days in Gujarat and Maharashtra, 105 to 120 days in Kerala and Karnataka, and 135 to 150+ days in West Bengal, Bihar, and northeastern states due to slower DISCOM feasibility approvals. |
| Can renters or tenants apply for PM Surya Ghar Yojana? | No, tenants cannot apply directly because the electricity connection must be in the applicant's name and the Aadhaar of the applicant must match the bill account holder. If you rent, the landlord must apply on their own name, or you can enter a written tripartite arrangement where the landlord authorises rooftop installation and you fund the out-of-pocket cost. Most vendors avoid such arrangements due to liability, so tenant enrolment remains rare in practice. |
| What is the actual cost of a 3 kW rooftop system after the Rs 78,000 subsidy? | Vendor quotes on pmsuryaghar.gov.in for a 3 kW mono-PERC system in July 2026 range from Rs 1.62 lakh to Rs 1.95 lakh installed. Taking the mid-point of Rs 1.80 lakh, after the Rs 78,000 central subsidy your net out-of-pocket cost is about Rs 1.02 lakh. Payback works out to roughly 3 years 5 months for a household with a pre-solar monthly bill of Rs 2,500 that drops to zero after installation. |
| Is collateral required for a PM Surya Ghar bank loan? | No collateral is required for loans up to Rs 2 lakh under the JanSamarth-linked rooftop solar loan product. Loans of Rs 2 lakh to Rs 6 lakh are hypothecated against the solar equipment. Rates in July 2026 are 7.15% at SBI, 7.30% at Canara Bank, 7.35% at Union Bank and Bank of Baroda, with a concessional rate of 5.75% available at bank discretion under the PMSG-linked window. Application is through jansamarth.in. |
| What if my monthly electricity consumption is less than 300 units? | Install a smaller system sized to your actual load rather than the full 3 kW. A 1 kW system attracts Rs 30,000 subsidy and covers about 120 units per month, and a 2 kW system attracts Rs 60,000 subsidy and covers about 240 units per month. Oversizing to 3 kW makes financial sense only in states with net metering and favourable buy-back tariffs like Gujarat and Rajasthan. In gross-metering states or those with low buy-back rates, sizing to load is the better choice. |
| How do I check DISCOM-approved vendors for PM Surya Ghar? | Log in to pmsuryaghar.gov.in with your registered credentials and use the Vendor Search by state and district under the Empanelled Vendor List. The portal shows vendor rating, past installation count, and price quotes. Avoid any vendor who approaches you offline and claims to be empanelled without matching a portal entry. Subsidy is disbursed only against installations by portal-listed vendors linked to your application. |
| What if the roof is shared in a group housing society or RWA? | Group Housing Societies and RWAs apply under a separate slab with Rs 18,000 per kW subsidy for common-utility solar systems up to 500 kW, covering common area lighting, lifts, water pumps, and EV charging at Rs 3 per kW of covered household load. Application requires a society-level resolution, DISCOM approval for a common connection or feeder-level metering, and empanelled vendor selection through the portal. Group net metering allows generation from a common installation to be credited proportionally across multiple owner meters within the same premises. |
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What PM Surya Ghar Muft Bijli Yojana is in 2026
PM Surya Ghar Muft Bijli Yojana is the central rooftop solar subsidy scheme that pays a household up to Rs 78,000 to install a 3 kW grid-connected solar system on its roof, targeting 1 crore homes and 300 units of free electricity per month by March 2027. The Union Cabinet approved the scheme on 29 February 2024 with a Rs 75,021 crore outlay, and the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE) runs it through pmsuryaghar.gov.in in partnership with state DISCOMs and empanelled vendors.
As of May 2026, 40 lakh homes have been solarised under the scheme, and MNRE's dashboard records 60.95 lakh applications, 31.38 lakh completed installations, and 11,335 MW of installed capacity. Central Financial Assistance disbursed has crossed Rs 22,750 crore. The Union Budget 2026-27 raised the annual allocation for PM Surya Ghar to Rs 22,000 crore, up from Rs 20,000 crore the year before, so subsidy money for approved applicants is not the constraint.
The constraint since 6 June 2026 is the registration window itself, which MNRE paused indefinitely for new applicants. The next section explains what that means.
The 6 June 2026 registration pause explained
MNRE issued a portal notice on 6 June 2026 halting fresh registrations on pmsuryaghar.gov.in. Existing batches are unaffected. If your application was submitted before 6 June, your installation, DISCOM inspection, net metering, and subsidy disbursement continue as normal. If you did not register by 6 June, you cannot submit a new application until the pause is lifted.
MNRE has not published a formal reopening date. Industry reporting from Mercom India and SolarQuarter suggests the pause is being used to clear the backlog of 60.95 lakh applications and streamline vendor and DISCOM capacity in the top-adopting states before opening a fresh registration round. State officials in Gujarat and Maharashtra have separately confirmed that they are prioritising completion of pending installations over new intake through Q2 FY 2026-27.
Three practical steps for anyone caught by the pause. First, if you registered before 6 June and your batch is still pending vendor allocation, log in weekly and refresh your DISCOM feasibility status. Second, if you did not register and want to be first in the queue when the portal reopens, keep your latest electricity bill, Aadhaar, and cancelled cheque ready as a scanned bundle and monitor pmsuryaghar.gov.in for the reopening notice. Third, do not sign a contract with a vendor who claims they can enrol you offline while the portal is closed. Subsidy is disbursed only against portal-registered applications, and any offline promise is a red flag.
The 40 lakh completed installations by 30 May 2026 give some sense of pace. The 1 crore homes target by March 2027 means the scheme still needs about 60 lakh installations in roughly 22 months. That translates to a required run rate of about 2.7 lakh installations per month, which is a stretch on the current 3.5 lakh per month pace once the pause is factored in.
Subsidy slabs and how the Rs 78,000 cap is calculated
Central Financial Assistance under PM Surya Ghar is paid per kilowatt of installed capacity, with a hard ceiling at 3 kW for individual households. The rates have not changed since scheme launch.
| System size | Central subsidy | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 1 kW | Rs 30,000 | Rs 30,000 per kW for the first 2 kW |
| 2 kW | Rs 60,000 | Rs 30,000 per kW for the first 2 kW |
| 3 kW | Rs 78,000 | Rs 30,000 for kW 1-2 + Rs 18,000 for kW 3 |
| Above 3 kW | Rs 78,000 | Cap applies, extra capacity is at your cost |
| Group Housing Societies / RWAs | Rs 18,000 per kW up to 500 kW | Common utility only, separate rule set |
| EV charging in group housing | Rs 3 per kW covered household | Added component under the group housing rule |
The Rs 78,000 cap is a hard ceiling for a single beneficiary. A 4 kW system installed by a household still receives the same Rs 78,000 because the 4th kW is not subsidised. Most vendors quote 3 kW as the sweet spot for exactly this reason. Group housing societies and RWAs sit on a separate rule with Rs 18,000 per kW covering common utility loads up to 500 kW, and the recently-notified EV charging component adds Rs 3 per kW of covered household load.
Real cost of a 3 kW rooftop system after subsidy in July 2026
Vendor quotes on pmsuryaghar.gov.in for a 3 kW mono-PERC system in July 2026 range from Rs 1.62 lakh to Rs 1.95 lakh installed, including inverter, panels, structure, cables, labour, and standard 5-year workmanship warranty. Take the mid-point of Rs 1.80 lakh for a worked example.
Gross system cost: Rs 1,80,000. Central subsidy: Rs 78,000. Net out-of-pocket: Rs 1,02,000 for a 3 kW system that generates about 360 units per month in Gujarat and Rajasthan, 340 units in Maharashtra and Karnataka, 300 units in Uttar Pradesh, and 280 units in West Bengal and northeastern states (source: MNRE state-wise generation benchmarks, 2024-25 revision).
If your pre-solar monthly bill was Rs 2,500 and the system takes it to zero, the payback period is 1,02,000 divided by 30,000 annual savings, or about 3 years 5 months. A 25-year panel warranty means roughly 21 years of near-free electricity after payback. If your DISCOM offers net metering with monthly settlement, surplus generation is credited to the next month at your applicable slab tariff, which for households consuming under 300 units typically ranges from Rs 4.50 to Rs 6.80 per unit depending on the state.
Bank loan comparison: SBI vs Canara vs Union Bank vs concessional 5.75 percent
If you cannot pay Rs 1.02 lakh upfront, MNRE has partnered with major public sector banks to offer collateral-free rooftop solar loans up to Rs 2 lakh, and hypothecated loans up to Rs 6 lakh. Rates below are as of July 2026 based on each bank's official product page.
| Lender | Rate p.a. | Collateral-free ceiling | Tenure | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| State Bank of India | 7.15% | Rs 2 lakh | Up to 10 years | JanSamarth portal application |
| Canara Bank | 7.30% | Rs 2 lakh | Up to 10 years | Reduced processing fee for scheme |
| Union Bank of India | 7.35% | Rs 2 lakh | Up to 10 years | 2-week sanction target |
| Bank of Baroda | 7.35% | Rs 2 lakh | Up to 10 years | Bundled loan product |
| PMSG-linked concessional | 5.75% | Rs 2 lakh | Up to 10 years | Requires JanSamarth application, subject to bank discretion |
For a Rs 1.02 lakh loan at 7.15% over 5 years, EMI works out to Rs 2,027 per month. If your net-of-solar monthly bill saving is about Rs 2,500, the loan EMI is fully covered by savings from month one. Sanctioned loan volume as of September 2025 stood at 5.79 lakh loans totalling Rs 10,907 crore, indicating that most PM Surya Ghar households do use the JanSamarth route rather than paying fully upfront.
Eligibility: households, tenants, RWAs, and group housing
Any Indian household with a valid electricity connection in its name and a suitable roof can apply. The applicant's Aadhaar must match the electricity bill account holder, and the roof must be free of major obstructions and structurally capable of taking the panel load, which the empanelled vendor certifies during feasibility inspection.
Tenants cannot apply directly because the electricity connection must be in the applicant's name. If you rent and want solar, either the landlord must apply, or a tripartite arrangement must be worked out where the landlord authorises installation and you pay for it. Vendor liability rules mean most vendors avoid such arrangements, so tenant enrolment remains rare.
Group Housing Societies (GHS) and Resident Welfare Associations (RWAs) apply under a separate slab. Rs 18,000 per kW is disbursed for common-utility solar systems up to 500 kW capacity, covering common area lighting, lifts, water pumps, and now EV charging points at Rs 3 per kW of covered household load. The GHS route requires society-level resolution, DISCOM approval for a common connection or feeder-level metering, and empanelled vendor selection through the same portal. Government buildings can apply under a parallel MNRE scheme with separate approvals routed through the state nodal agency.
Step-by-step application on pmsuryaghar.gov.in
The application flow has 7 stages, each with a defined DISCOM or vendor action. Note that stages 1 to 3 are currently paused as of 6 June 2026 for new applicants.
Stage 1 is registration on pmsuryaghar.gov.in with state, DISCOM name, and consumer number from your electricity bill. Stage 2 is Aadhaar-linked household verification with OTP. Stage 3 is roof feasibility declaration where you upload a rooftop photograph and enter approximate area in square feet. Stage 4 is DISCOM feasibility approval, typically 7 to 30 days depending on state (see next section). Stage 5 is empanelled vendor selection from the portal's state-wise list, followed by contract signing and site survey. Stage 6 is installation with a target completion of 30 to 45 days. Stage 7 is DISCOM net metering inspection and net meter installation, followed by subsidy disbursement to your registered bank account within 30 days of successful commissioning.
End-to-end timeline runs 90 to 120 days for most states in normal registration windows. Gujarat and Maharashtra sit near the lower bound because of streamlined DISCOM processes. Bihar, Jharkhand, and northeastern states routinely stretch beyond 150 days due to slower net-metering approvals.
State-wise DISCOM feasibility timelines
DISCOM feasibility approval is the single biggest variable in the timeline. Data below is aggregated from MNRE state dashboards and vendor field reports as of July 2026.
| State | Median DISCOM feasibility time | Total end-to-end typical |
|---|---|---|
| Gujarat | 7 days | 90 days |
| Maharashtra | 10 days | 100 days |
| Rajasthan | 12 days | 105 days |
| Kerala | 15 days | 110 days |
| Uttar Pradesh | 18 days | 115 days |
| Karnataka | 15 days | 105 days |
| Tamil Nadu | 20 days | 120 days |
| Delhi | 21 days | 120 days |
| West Bengal | 25 days | 135 days |
| Bihar | 30 days | 150 days |
| Northeast states | 30+ days | 150+ days |
If you live in a state at the top of this table and you register in the next reopening window, expect installation and subsidy within 3 months. If you live at the bottom, plan for 5 months. Track your application weekly at pmsuryaghar.gov.in and escalate through your DISCOM's consumer grievance cell if DISCOM feasibility crosses 45 days.
Net metering, gross metering, and group net metering
Net metering is the default for residential rooftop solar under PM Surya Ghar. Your solar system feeds surplus generation back to the grid, and your DISCOM credits the surplus units against your consumption in the same billing cycle. Any net surplus at the end of the settlement year is paid out at a state-specific rate, typically Rs 2 to Rs 3 per unit.
Gross metering is used in a small number of states where the solar generation is metered separately and sold to the DISCOM at a fixed feed-in tariff, and your household consumption is billed at the regular tariff. This is generally less favourable than net metering for households consuming under 300 units per month.
Group net metering, introduced under PM Surya Ghar for RWAs and multi-owner buildings, allows solar generation from a common installation to be credited proportionally across multiple owner meters within the same premises. This unlocks solar for apartment complexes where individual rooftop rights are unclear.
Check your DISCOM's tariff notification for the exact treatment. Most state electricity regulatory commission websites publish current net-metering regulations under a Rooftop Solar Regulations section.
What happens if your consumption is under 300 units
The scheme design assumes an average household consumes around 300 units per month, which a 3 kW system covers. If your consumption is lower, say 150 units per month, a 3 kW system is oversized and you will generate surplus for most of the year.
Two options. First, install a smaller system, typically 1 or 2 kW, with proportionally lower subsidy at Rs 30,000 or Rs 60,000. This matches your actual load and avoids surplus that may not be fully compensated in gross-metering states. Second, install the full 3 kW system and monetise the surplus through net metering if your state offers favourable settlement rates. In Gujarat and Rajasthan, both options are financially viable because net-metering settlement is closer to retail tariff. In states with gross metering or low buy-back rates, sizing to actual load is usually the better choice.
The vendor's site survey should include a consumption analysis using your last 12 months of electricity bills. If the vendor pushes a 3 kW system regardless of your consumption pattern, get a second quote.
Model Solar Village component
PM Surya Ghar includes a Model Solar Village component that provides Rs 1 crore per village to villages that achieve 100 percent household rooftop solar coverage. The component targets one Model Solar Village per district across India over the scheme lifetime. Village-level implementation is driven by district administration in coordination with the state renewable energy agency.
This component is separate from the household subsidy and does not affect individual application status. If your village panchayat has expressed interest in participating, check with your Block Development Officer for the current status.
Common rejection reasons and how to fix them
Rejection reasons ranked by frequency, based on vendor field reports and DISCOM grievance data through Q1 FY 2026-27.
Reason 1 is Aadhaar and electricity bill name mismatch. Fix: get the electricity bill account name corrected at your DISCOM before applying, or ensure the applicant is the exact registered account holder.
Reason 2 is roof feasibility failure due to structural or shading issues identified during vendor site survey. Fix: consult a civil engineer for a structural certificate, or trim the shading obstructions before site survey.
Reason 3 is DISCOM feasibility denial due to feeder saturation or transformer capacity limits. Fix: appeal through the DISCOM's technical committee, provide alternative feeder connection details, or wait for feeder upgrade under a separate DISCOM capex plan.
Reason 4 is document mismatch on the linked bank account for subsidy disbursement. Fix: ensure the bank account name matches the applicant name on Aadhaar, and the cancelled cheque uploaded is legible.
Reason 5 is vendor withdrawal after contract signing. Fix: use the portal's vendor grievance mechanism, request replacement vendor allocation, and do not release any advance payment until the site survey is complete.
How PM Surya Ghar compares to state solar schemes
Several states run parallel rooftop solar subsidy programmes that layer on top of the central PM Surya Ghar subsidy. The stacking rules and eligibility caps differ by state, and this is where most vendor quotes get confusing.
Gujarat's Surya Urja Rooftop Yojana adds Rs 10,000 per kW on top of the central subsidy for 3 kW systems, capped at Rs 30,000 additional. Effective subsidy for a 3 kW system in Gujarat can reach Rs 1,08,000 combined. Maharashtra's Mukhyamantri Saur Krishi Vahini Yojana focuses on feeder-level solar rather than rooftop, and does not stack with PM Surya Ghar for individual households. Rajasthan's rooftop solar scheme adds Rs 5,000 per kW for BPL households under a targeted expansion. Kerala's ANERT rooftop programme offers a soft loan tie-up but no additional cash subsidy. Delhi's earlier generation-based incentive was discontinued in 2024, so residents rely purely on the central PM Surya Ghar subsidy.
Check your state renewable energy agency website for the current stacking rules. Most agencies now publish a joint calculator with the central subsidy line item, which is the easiest way to see your total assistance before signing a vendor contract. If your state does not publish a joint calculator, ask the vendor for a written quote that separately lines out central subsidy and state top-up so you can verify against the state agency portal.
Payback and 25-year economics
Total cost of ownership over the 25-year panel life determines whether rooftop solar is worth the effort. Standard vendor warranties cover panel output at 80 percent of nameplate rating for 25 years. Inverters typically last 10 to 12 years and need one replacement at Rs 15,000 to Rs 25,000 during the panel life. Annual cleaning and preventive maintenance costs about Rs 2,000 to Rs 3,000. There are no fuel costs and no other moving parts.
For a 3 kW system with Rs 1.02 lakh net out-of-pocket cost, 360 units per month generation in Gujarat, and Rs 6 per unit avoided tariff, gross annual savings are Rs 25,920. Over 25 years with a mid-life inverter replacement of Rs 20,000 and Rs 62,500 in cumulative maintenance costs, net lifetime savings work out to about Rs 5.65 lakh in nominal terms. Internal rate of return sits around 22 to 25 percent depending on state and tariff escalation assumptions, which comfortably beats fixed deposit and small savings scheme returns.
The payback dynamics get less favourable in states with lower tariffs and lower generation. In West Bengal with 280 units per month generation and Rs 4.50 per unit avoided tariff, gross annual savings drop to Rs 15,120 and payback stretches to nearly 7 years. Even at the low end of the state generation spread, the 25-year internal rate of return on a household PM Surya Ghar rooftop system remains positive after inverter replacement and cumulative maintenance.
Primary sources
- MNRE PM Surya Ghar official portal: https://pmsuryaghar.gov.in
- MNRE Ministry site: https://mnre.gov.in
- PIB release on scheme launch: https://www.pib.gov.in/PressReleaseIframePage.aspx?PRID=2111106
- JanSamarth loan portal: https://www.jansamarth.in
- Union Budget 2026-27 MNRE demand for grants: https://www.indiabudget.gov.in
- IBEF PM Surya Ghar dashboard consolidation: https://www.ibef.org/government-schemes/pm-surya-ghar-yojana