The Ministry of New and Renewable Energy has issued guidelines for implementing ‘Incentives to DISCOMs’ component under PM-Surya Ghar: Muft Bijli Yojana.
Distribution companies (discoms) are designated as state implementation agencies under the scheme. They will be responsible for net meter availability, timely inspection, and commissioning of installations. The total budget for this component is Rs 49.5 billion incorporating the previous plan under Grid Connected Roof Top Solar (GCRT) Phase II programme. The total budget for the programme is Rs 750.21 billion until 2025-26.
To ensure higher participation from discoms, there is a progressive incentive mechanism in place. Incentives range from 5 per cent if additional capacity is 10-15 per cent over base to 10 per cent on achieving 15 per cent additional installed capacity over base.
The PM-Surya Ghar: Muft Bijli scheme aims to empower households to generate their own electricity and increase solar rooftop capacity. It was launched in February 2024 and had 10 million registrations in one month.
In June 2024, the MNRE had introduced guidelines for the registration of solar photovoltaic modules and inverters under this scheme. The aim was to inform consumers for choosing efficient products for rooftop solar installations.
