The Government of West Bengal has officially launched the PM Surya Ghar: Muft Bijli Yojana in the state, introducing additional financial assistance over and above the central government subsidy for residential rooftop solar installations.
The scheme, originally launched by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in February 2024, aims to promote rooftop solar adoption by providing subsidies for residential installations, helping households reduce electricity bills while supporting the nationwide expansion of clean energy.
Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari announced that the first phase of implementation has already seen the installation of rooftop solar systems in 1,810 households.
Under the state’s subsidy structure:
- Households installing rooftop solar systems generating up to 100 units will receive an additional ₹5,000 from the state over and above the Centre’s ₹30,000 subsidy.
- For 200-unit systems, the state will provide ₹10,000 in addition to the Centre’s ₹60,000 subsidy.
- Households installing 300-unit systems will receive ₹15,000 from the state over the Centre’s ₹78,000 subsidy.
- SC and ST households will also receive an additional ₹15,000 from the state.
The chief minister said the state is also considering a separate assistance programme for economically disadvantaged families from other communities.
According to the government, North 24-Parganas has recorded the highest number of beneficiaries in the first phase with 238 households, followed by Hooghly with 232 households.
The chief minister recently interacted virtually with 232 beneficiaries, who shared that their electricity bills had declined. He encouraged more residents to enrol under the scheme.
The central government has set a target of covering one crore households across India by March 31, 2027. In line with this objective, West Bengal has set its own target of reaching five lakh households under the scheme.
The chief minister also announced that the scheme will be extended later to government offices to promote renewable energy adoption and reduce electricity consumption.
Meanwhile, Maharashtra currently has the highest number of beneficiaries under the scheme, with around 26 lakh households.
The proposal is currently being worked on by the concerned officials, including the chief secretary and the finance secretary, and a decision is expected to be taken soon.
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