PM Surya Ghar Yojana: Electricity bills of 19 lakh families reduced to zero; plus an extra income of ₹3,500..

PM Surya Ghar Yojana: The Central Government's ambitious 'PM Surya Ghar: Muft Bijli Yojana' (Free Electricity Scheme) has created history. According to the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy, the number of households installing rooftop solar panels under this scheme has crossed the 50.06 lakh mark. The scheme has witnessed tremendous momentum since its inception, shattering all previous records.

Launched with a total budget of ₹75,021 crore, the scheme achieved this milestone in just over two years. In contrast, only 7.94 lakh rooftop solar connections were installed in the entire decade preceding the scheme's launch.

1 lakh new households joining every 6 days; pace increased 3.2 times

Government data indicates that the program is progressing so rapidly that 1 lakh new beneficiary households are joining every six days. The pace of solar panel installations has increased 3.2-fold over the last nine months. In July, 5.06 lakh households benefited from rooftop solar panels—the highest monthly figure recorded since the scheme began. There has also been a significant surge in the daily installation rate; while an average of 5,038 solar systems were being installed daily in October 2025, this figure rose to approximately 16,328 per day by July 2026.

19 lakh households achieve zero electricity bills; earning income by selling surplus power

The PM Surya Ghar Yojana has significantly eased the financial burden on the general public. The government has disbursed subsidies amounting to ₹28,024 crore directly into the beneficiaries' bank accounts via Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT). Approximately 19 lakh households across the country have now achieved zero electricity bills. In the 2024-25 financial year, over 1.2 million (12 lakh) households earned a total of ₹421 crore by selling surplus electricity generated by them to the grid. Households exporting electricity to the grid earned an average annual additional income of ₹3,500.

**Benefits Reaching Low-Income Families and PMAY/SC/ST Categories**

The scheme has rapidly expanded to reach the lower and middle sections of society. Under the utility-led aggregation model, 1.6 lakh rooftop solar systems have been installed across four states for families belonging to the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana (PMAY), Below Poverty Line (BPL), and SC/ST categories. Loans have been granted to 21.87 lakh applicants at a concessional interest rate of 5.75 percent under the scheme. So far, rooftop solar systems with a capacity of 14.8 gigawatts (GW) have been commissioned under this initiative.

**Convenience Through Digital Processes and Regulatory Relaxations**

The PM Surya Ghar Yojana operates on a completely online and end-to-end digital process. Application submission, loan approval, net metering, and subsidy disbursement are all handled through digital channels. To simplify the process, the government has implemented 'deemed approval' for rooftop solar systems up to 10 kilowatts (kW) and waived the requirement for feasibility tests. Thirty-two states and Union Territories across the country have completely abolished application fees and net-metering charges.

**Employment Generation and Solarization of Government Infrastructure**

The scheme has also fostered a significant commercial ecosystem in the country. A network of 34,219 registered vendors has been established, comprising 29,469 active vendors. More than 2.32 lakh individuals have been trained through skill development programs. Additionally, solar panels have been installed on 1.06 lakh government buildings to date.

Disclaimer: This content has been sourced and edited from Money Control. While we have made modifications for clarity and presentation, the original content belongs to its respective authors and website. We do not claim ownership of the content.