The Maharashtra government has approved the Swayampurna Maharashtra Residential Rooftop (SMART) solar scheme. The scheme entails a total financial outlay of Rs 6.55 billion, with Rs 3.30 billion earmarked for the financial year (FY) 2025–26 and Rs 3.25 billion for FY 2026–27.
The programme will offer subsidies for rooftop solar panel installations to select consumer categories. Below poverty line (BPL) households will be eligible for a 35 per cent subsidy on installation costs. Consumers from scheduled caste (SC) and scheduled tribe (ST) communities under the economically weaker section (EWS) category will receive a 30 per cent subsidy. Furthermore, general category households using less than 100 units per month will get a 20 per cent subsidy.
Assuming an installation cost of Rs 50,000 per kW for the solar panel, BPL households will benefit from a 35 per cent state subsidy of Rs 17,500 and a 60 per cent central subsidy of Rs 30,000. This reduces the out-of-pocket contribution of households to just Rs 2,500. EWS households using less than 100 units per month will be eligible for a 20 to 30 per cent state subsidy, based on their category, along with a 60 per cent central subsidy. Furthermore, under the sub-category allocations, general households will receive a 20 per cent state subsidy of Rs 10,000, while SC and ST households will be entitled to a 30 per cent subsidy of Rs 15,000 each.
Additionally, the funds under the scheme will be managed by the state electricity department, while the Maharashtra State Electricity Company will be responsible for implementation. The scheme is expected to run until March 2027.
