PM Surya Ghar Yojana: Subsidy, Eligibility, How to Apply

The PM Surya Ghar Muft Bijli Yojana gives a household central government subsidy of Rs 30,000 per kW for the first 2 kW of rooftop solar and Rs 18,000 for the third kW, so the maximum is Rs 78,000 for a 3 kW system or larger. You register on the national portal (pmsuryaghar.gov.in) with your electricity consumer number, get your DISCOM’s approval, install through a registered vendor, and the subsidy reaches your bank account after commissioning. Everything below was last checked in October 2026.

Quick facts

What people ask most, answered directly

• How much is the solar subsidy? Rs 30,000 for 1 kW, Rs 60,000 for 2 kW and Rs 78,000 for 3 kW or more. Nothing extra is paid for systems above 3 kW.
• What is the Surya Ghar registration process? Select your state and electricity distribution company (DISCOM) on the national portal, enter your consumer number, mobile number and email, then log in and apply for rooftop solar.
• Is there a last date? The scheme is planned to run through FY 2026-27 (till March 2027). I did not find an official announcement on what happens after that, so apply early and watch the portal and MNRE for updates.
• Do I get free electricity? The scheme promises up to 300 free units a month for households, in the sense that a right-sized system can offset that much consumption. The actual saving depends on your system size and usage.

How much subsidy do you get per kW?

The central subsidy is calculated on a slab basis. It is roughly 60% of the benchmark cost for the first 2 kW and 40% of the benchmark for the next kilowatt. In rupee terms, the official scheme pages and state government pages quote the following amounts.

The scheme does not fund the whole cost. A 3 kW home system typically costs well above the subsidy, and one business news report puts it at Rs 1.5 to 2 lakh before subsidy. Prices differ by city, panel brand and roof type, so take two or three quotes from vendors listed on the portal.

Housing societies and RWAs

Group housing societies and resident welfare associations can claim Rs 18,000 per kW for solar on common facilities such as lifts, lights and EV charging, up to 500 kW. The limit works out on the basis of 3 kW per house, and it includes any rooftop systems that individual residents install in the society.

Who is eligible?

• You must be an Indian citizen.
• You should own a house with a roof that is suitable for solar panels.
• You need a valid electricity connection in your name.
• You must not have taken any other subsidy for solar panels.

Tenants without roof rights, and households with shaded or very small roofs, may not qualify in practice. The scheme is aimed at residential consumers only; businesses and factories are covered by other programmes.

How to apply for PM Surya Ghar, step by step

1. Register: Go to pmsuryaghar.gov.in, choose your state and DISCOM, and enter your consumer number, mobile number and email.
2. Log in and apply: Use your consumer number and mobile number to log in, then fill in the rooftop solar application form.
3. Wait for DISCOM approval: Once the application is approved, you can proceed with installation.
4. Pick a registered vendor: The portal shows registered vendors with ratings. Installation must be done by a registered vendor.
5. Install the system: After installation, upload the plant details on the portal.
6. Apply for the net meter: The DISCOM installs the net meter and inspects the plant.
7. Get the commissioning certificate: Once the DISCOM is satisfied, the portal issues it.
8. Submit bank details: Upload your bank account details and a cancelled cheque. The portal page says the subsidy is credited within 30 days of this step.

MNRE also says the process is fully digital from application to subsidy payment, that technical feasibility checks are waived for systems up to 10 kW, and that the net metering agreement is built into the application. Always follow the exact screen prompts on the portal because your DISCOM may add its own steps.

Documents you should keep ready

The official page names only your bank details and a cancelled cheque as documents to submit at the end. In practice, your DISCOM may ask for more, so keep these ready.

• A recent electricity bill showing your consumer number (needed for registration).
• A mobile number and email ID for portal login and OTPs.
• Bank account details and a cancelled cheque, in the account where you want the subsidy.
• Proof that you own the house or have rights over the roof. This requirement is not spelled out on the pages I checked, so confirm with your DISCOM.

I could not find an official, state-independent document checklist, so treat the last two points as practical advice and not a rule.

Loan options

MNRE has said that collateral-free loans for rooftop solar are available from nationalised banks at the repo rate plus 50 basis points, which it put at 5.75% a year, for up to 10 years. Interest rates move with the repo rate, so ask the bank for the current figure. Another government page describes loans of about 7% for systems up to 3 kW. The two numbers differ because they come from different dates, so confirm the live rate with your bank before you decide.

Timeline: how long does it take?

The government does not guarantee one fixed number of days for the whole journey. The official page says the subsidy is paid within 30 days after you submit your bank details. A vendor-side estimate from a commercial site suggests about two to four weeks for feasibility and net-metering paperwork and one to three days for installation, but treat such numbers as rough. The delays most people report come from DISCOM inspections and net meter availability, which differ between cities.

Choosing a vendor

• Use only vendors listed on the national portal. Installations by others will not get the subsidy.
• Check the vendor rating shown on the portal.
• Ask for a written quotation with panel brand, inverter brand, warranty and what happens if the DISCOM rejects the net metering application.
• Compare at least three quotes. Do not pay the whole amount upfront; pay in stages tied to installation and commissioning.
• Ask who handles the net meter file and the subsidy claim. Many vendors do both for you.

The portal cited 6,552 registered vendors as of July 2024; the number has grown since, so do not rely on that old figure.

Where the scheme stands, October 2026

MNRE data given in Parliament showed about 26.21 lakh rooftop systems and 9.56 GW installed by 20 March 2026, with Gujarat, Maharashtra and Uttar Pradesh in the lead. At a June 2026 event, Minister Pralhad Joshi said the scheme had crossed 40 lakh beneficiary households and expected more than 75 lakh by December 2026. He also said May 2026 saw a record 3.16 lakh installations. A news report quoting MNRE said over 1 crore households had registered on the portal. These are ministry statements as reported in the press; the exact running totals are on the portal.

Changes to watch

• The central subsidy rates have stayed the same since launch, as far as I could confirm. I found no official notice of a change.
• The scheme period ends in March 2027. I could not find an official statement on an extension or successor.
• Several states have started adding their own top-up on top of the central subsidy, which changes your final cost. See our state-wise guide.

Common mistakes to avoid

• Installing first and registering later. The approval sequence matters.
• Using an unregistered installer.
• Entering a wrong consumer number during registration, which blocks the application.
• Forgetting to link the correct bank account, which delays the payout.

Conclusion

If you own your home and pay a regular electricity bill, PM Surya Ghar can cut the upfront cost of rooftop solar by up to Rs 78,000, and some states add more. Register on pmsuryaghar.gov.in, follow the steps in order, and keep every receipt until the subsidy lands in your account. Since the scheme period runs only till March 2027, it is sensible not to wait too long.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

How much subsidy is given under PM Surya Ghar?
Rs 30,000 for 1 kW, Rs 60,000 for 2 kW and Rs 78,000 for 3 kW or larger systems. The central subsidy is capped at 3 kW.

What is the PM Surya Ghar registration process?
Visit pmsuryaghar.gov.in, select your state and DISCOM, and enter your consumer number, mobile number and email. Then log in and submit the rooftop solar application.

How long does it take to get the PM Surya Ghar subsidy?
The official page says it is paid within 30 days after you submit bank details, which you do after commissioning. The total time from application depends on your DISCOM.

Is there a last date for PM Surya Ghar?
The scheme is planned to run through FY 2026-27, till March 2027. I found no official extension announcement as of October 2026.

Can I install solar through any vendor?
No. Installation must be done by a vendor registered on the national portal.

Do states give extra subsidy on top?
Some do, such as Delhi, Bihar and West Bengal. Amounts differ and change often, so check your state’s nodal agency.