‘This will not only reduce the electricity bill of the poor and middle class, but will also make India self-reliant in the field of energy’

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday said that the Centre has set a target of installing rooftop solar on one crore households under the Pradhanmantri Surodaya Yojna.

The Prime Minister in a tweet on X (formerly Twitter) said the first decision that he has taken after returning from Ayodhya is that the government will launch the “Pradhanmantri Suryodaya Yojana” with the target of installing rooftop solar on 1 crore houses.

On the auspicious occasion of the consecration ceremony of the Ram Janmabhoomi temple in Ayodhya, Modi said that his resolve has been further strengthened that the people of India should have their own solar rooftop systems on their houses.

This will not only reduce the electricity bill of the poor and middle class, but will also make India self-reliant in the field of energy, he added.

Immediately after his visit to Ayodhya, the Prime Minister chaired a meeting to launch Pradhan Mantri Suryodaya Yojana.

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“During the meeting, the Prime Minister said that the power of the sun can be harnessed by every household with a roof to reduce their electricity bills and to make them truly aatmanirbhar for their electricity needs,” the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) said.

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, it added.

It was not immediately clear whether the Pradhanmantri Surodaya Yojna will be part of the government’s Rooftop Solar (RTS) programme or it will be a new scheme.

The Ministry of New & Renewable Energy (MNRE) launched RTS programme Phase-II on March 8, 2019 with an objective to achieve 40 GW of rooftop solar. The programme envisages installation of 4 GW of RTS capacity in the residential sector by providing Central Financial Assistance (CFA).

The Resident Welfare Associations (RWAs)/ Group Housing Societies (GHS) are also eligible to avail CFA for RTS installation in common facilities, up to a maximum of 500 kW capacity, which is ₹7,294 per kW in general category states and ₹8,831 in special category states.

The Programme has been extended till March 2026 without change in the financial outlay initially approved for the programme.

“The Programme envisages installation of 4 gigawatt (GW) of RTS capacity in the residential sector, and has been extended till March 31, 2026. Against the target of 4 GW capacity, MNRE has allocated 3.57 GW capacity to various implementing agencies. Against the allocated capacity, an aggregate capacity of 2.65 GW has been installed in the residential sector so far,” Power and MNRE Minister RK Singh told Rajya Sabha on December 12, 2023