PM Suryodaya Yojana: Save Rs 18,000 Per Year On Electricity Bills; How To Apply? Follow These 7 Steps!

The interim budget 2024 came as good news for Indian residents who are burdened with electricity bills every month. But the government has launched a new scheme 'Pradhanmantri Suryodaya Yojana' which will help citizens save between Rs 15,000 to Rs 18,000 per year on their bills. The main focus of this scheme is to reduce the electricity bill of the poor and middle class, along with making India self-reliant in the energy sector.

What Is Pradhanmantri Suryodaya Yojana?

Just a few days before FM Nirmala Sitharaman took the podium in Parliament to present the country's interim budget 2024 on February 1, Prime Minister Narendra Modi had announced the launch of "Pradhanmantri Suryodaya Yojana" on the auspicious occasion of the consecration of Suryawanshi Bhagwan Shri Ram in Ayodhya on January 22, 2024.

The scheme was launched with the target of installing rooftop solar on 1 crore houses at his residence at Lok Kalyan Marg.

Pradhanmantri Suryodaya Yojana aims to provide electricity to low and middle-income individuals through solar rooftop installations, along with offering additional income for surplus electricity generation.

The Prime Minister also directed that a massive national campaign should be started to mobilize residential segment consumers to adopt rooftop solar in large numbers.

Rooftop Solarization Interim Budget:

Time skip, on February 1, FM emphasized the scheme. She said, that through rooftop solarization, one crore households will be enabled to obtain up to 300 units of free electricity every month. This scheme follows the resolve of the Hon'ble Prime Minister on the historic day of the consecration of Ram Mandir in Ayodhya.

She highlighted the following benefits of Rooftop Solarization:

1. Savings of up to fifteen to eighteen thousand rupees annually for households from free solar electricity and selling the surplus to the distribution companies.

2. Charging of electric vehicles.

3. Entrepreneurship opportunities for a large number of vendors for supply and installation.

4. Employment opportunities for the youth with technical skills in manufacturing, installation and maintenance.

How To Apply?

The procedure for installation of rooftop solar plant through National can be done by following seven big steps.

Step 1: Register at the National Portal through the link https://solarrooftop.gov.in/. Follow the instructions given on the portal for registration.

Step 2: After registration, log-in to the account and click submit application. Fill in the information required in the format and submit the application.

Step 3: The submitted application will reach directly to the concerned DISCOM for technical feasibility approval. If all the details are correct, the application will be approved. Else, the application may be rejected or returned for correction.

Also, upon TFR approval, sign an agreement with the selected registered vendor and proceed with the installation of the plant. The list of registered vendors is visible in the 'vendors in my area' tab in the applicant's account on the National Portal.

Step 4: After installation of the plant, submit installation details in the National Portal and upload a photo of the applicant with the plant. These details are required for inspection and net-metering of the plant.

Step 5: DISCOM officials will inspect the system by the technical criterion prescribed by MNRE. Upon successful inspection, a net-meter would be installed by the DISCOM.

Step 6: Once the net meter has been installed, the DISCOM official will approve the installation details on the portal and an online commissioning certificate will be generated. This certificate will be visible in the applicant's account.

Step 7: After the generation of the commissioning certificate, the applicant can raise an online subsidy/CFA claim request by providing the applicant's bank details along with a legible copy of the cancelled bank cheque or passbook.

If all details are correct, Central Govt. subsidy/CFA will be released directly into the bank account of the applicant within 30 days of submission of the CFA/subsidy claim.

However, there are certain terms and conditions citizens must not forget before applying for the rooftop solar panel. These are:

1. The applicant shall use their own mobile number and mail ID for registration on the National Portal. The applications having the mail id/ mobile no. of the vendor would be rejected and such vendors would be blacklisted from further participation in the program/scheme.

2. It shall also be ensured that the electricity connection and bank account is in the name of the applicant, or else the application would be rejected.