Key Terms & Concepts — UPSC Mains
PM Surya Ghar Muft Bijli Yojana
"Centrally-funded rooftop solar scheme providing up to 300 units of free electricity per month to one crore Indian households."
PM Surya Ghar Muft Bijli Yojana (PMSGMBY) is a flagship residential rooftop solar programme launched by the Government of India on February 15, 2024, with a total outlay of Rs 75,021 crore. The scheme is implemented by the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE) through the Solar Energy Corporation of India (SECI) as the National Programme Implementation Agency, in coordination with state DISCOMs. It offers a tiered Central Financial Assistance (CFA): roughly Rs 30,000 for a 1 kW system, Rs 60,000 for 2 kW and Rs 78,000 (the cap) for 3 kW or larger systems for residential consumers. Eligible households can sign up via the National Portal (pmsuryaghar.gov.in), and panels are net-metered for systems below 10 kW or gross-metered above that threshold. The programme targets one crore households and is designed to provide up to 300 units of free electricity per month. India added a record 7.1 GW of rooftop solar capacity in calendar 2025 — a 123% year-on-year jump — with the residential segment accounting for 76% of installations, taking cumulative rooftop solar capacity to 20.8 GW by December 2025.
GS3 (economy, environment, energy security). Mainstay Prelims hook (year, outlay, ministry, agency, subsidy slabs) and Mains material on India's 500 GW non-fossil target, Panchamrit commitments at COP-26, and the just energy transition.
- 1 Launched February 15, 2024 with Rs 75,021 crore outlay.
- 2 Targets 1 crore households with up to 300 units free power per month.
- 3 Tiered subsidy: about Rs 30k (1 kW), Rs 60k (2 kW), Rs 78k (3 kW and above).
- 4 Implementing agency SECI; nodal ministry MNRE.
- 5 Net metering for residential systems below 10 kW; gross metering above.
- 6 Aligned with India's 500 GW non-fossil target by 2030 (Panchamrit, COP-26).
Mercom India data released on May 22, 2026 confirmed that PM Surya Ghar drove India's rooftop solar capacity to 20.8 GW by end-2025, with 7.1 GW added in calendar 2025 alone — 76% of it residential.
