The PM Surya Ghar: Muft Bijli Yojana, introduced by the Central government in February 2024, is a rooftop solar initiative designed to help households reduce their electricity costs and encourage wider adoption of renewable energy. According to the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE), more than 26.19 lakh rooftop solar systems had already been installed under the scheme as of March 19, 2026, reflecting rapid expansion.
The scheme aims to install one crore homes with solar rooftop panels by the end of FY 2026-27, while offering financial support through , low-interest loans, and allowing households to earn extra income by selling excess electricity back to the grid. This is primarily driven through a net metering mechanism, which links a home’s renewable energy system to the local power company to offset electricity consumption.
What is PM Surya Ghar Muft Bijli Yojana?
The scheme aims to provide households with up to 300 units of free electricity every month through grid-connected rooftop solar installations. Available to residential consumers with a valid electricity connection, the programme is being rolled out through a fully digital national portal to simplify applications, approvals, and subsidy disbursal.
“This program aims to increase the adoption of capacity and empower residential households to generate their own electricity,” according to the official government website.
The government provides Central Financial Assistance (CFA) to reduce the upfront cost of installing solar panels. Since the scheme’s launch, more than ₹17,967 crore has been disbursed with 26 lakh installations as subsidy support to beneficiaries, according to Press Information Bureau (PIB).
Eligibility criteria for the scheme
Applicants must meet a few conditions to apply for the PM Surya Ghar Muft Bijli Yojana. These include:
- Applicants should be residents of India
- Applicants should belong to poor and middle-income households
- Applicants should have their own residence with a roof suitable for installing solar panels
- Applicants must have a valid electricity connection
- Applicants should not have availed of any other subsidy for solar panels
How to apply for the free electricity scheme?
If you want to apply for the scheme and meet all thr elibility requirements mentioned above, then just follow the simple steps given below to apply for PM Surya Ghar Muft Bijli Yojana:
Step 1: Visit the official website of PM Surya Ghar Muft Bijli Yojana.
Step 2: Click on the ‘Consumer’ option and select ‘Apply Now’.
Step 3: Enter your mobile number, captcha code, select the box and click on the ‘Verify’ option shown on the portal.
Step 4: Enter the one-time password (OTP) and and click ‘Login’.
Step 5: Enter the required details such as consumer name, e-mail, address, state, district and PIN code and click on ‘Save’.
Step 6: Applicants can choose whether they want a registered vendor to complete the application process on their behalf. If you select ‘No’, you can fill the form independently by clicking on ‘Apply for Solar Rooftop’ tab, filling in the required details and submitting the form.
Step 7: After the application is submitted, applicants must wait for the feasibility approval from the DISCOM. Once approved, they can select the registered vendor under their DISCOM and provide bank details to receive subsidy.
Step 8: The DISCOM to inspect the site for technical compliance, following which the installation process begins. After is completed, the vendor will submit the installation details to both the consumer and the DISCOM.
Step 9: The DISCOM then conducts a final inspection and shares the inspection report with the consumer.
Step 10: Once the DISCOM completes inspection and certification, the subsidy amount is credited directly to the applicant’s bank account through Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT), usually within 30 working days.