India Powers Over 16 Lakh Homes with Rooftop Solar Under PM-Surya Ghar Yojana

India’s rooftop solar revolution is charging ahead, lighting up over 16.5 lakh households under the PM-Surya Ghar: Muft Bijli Yojana (PM-SGMBY).

This was revealed by Union Minister for New and Renewable Energy, Consumer Affairs, and Food and Public Distribution, Pralhad Joshi, responding to a question in the Lok Sabha. He provided a detailed statement covering all aspects of the query, from the status of rooftop solar installations under the PM-Surya Ghar: Muft Bijli Yojana to broader renewable energy policy measures. The minister’s response addressed questions ranging from state-wise progress and financial support mechanisms to grid preparedness and India’s clean energy targets.

Launched in February 2024, the flagship scheme aims to provide free electricity to one crore households by 2026-27. As of July 31, 2025, the National Portal had received over 58 lakh applications, indicating strong nationwide interest.

As per data, states like Gujarat, Maharashtra, Kerala, and Uttar Pradesh are leading the charge in rooftop installations, while Arunachal Pradesh, Meghalaya, and Nagaland continue to lag behind. Mid-tier performers such as Chhattisgarh, Bihar, Odisha, Delhi, Karnataka, Madhya Pradesh, and Rajasthan are showing steady, if mixed, growth.

To speed things up, the Centre has rolled out several user-centric reforms. These include a fully digital process from registration to subsidy disbursal, collateral-free loans at 6 percent interest over 10 years, and the removal of technical feasibility checks for systems up to 10 kW. New models such as RESCO and Utility-Led Aggregation (ULA) are being pushed to support adoption among low-income and rural households.

The government has also sweetened the deal for remote and underdeveloped regions. Areas like the Northeast, Jammu & Kashmir, Ladakh, and island territories now receive 10 percent higher Central Financial Assistance, ensuring a more inclusive transition to clean energy. The Ministry further clarified that most rooftop solar systems do not require grid upgrades, as the power is consumed at the point of generation.

Further, Minister Joshi said that the rooftop programme is just one piece of a much larger renewable puzzle. As of March 31, 2025, India’s total renewable capacity stood at 220.10 GW, making up 46.32 percent of the country’s total installed power capacity. By June 30, that figure jumped furthe, non-fossil fuel energy sources now account for 242.78 GW out of India’s 484.82 GW capacity, officially crossing the 50 percent mark five years ahead of schedule under the Paris Agreement commitments.

To sustain this momentum, the government is unleashing a wave of policy support. This includes 50 GW of annual RE bidding till FY 2027-28, 100 percent FDI under the automatic route, and mission-mode schemes like PM-KUSUM, the National Green Hydrogen Mission, and dedicated clean energy initiatives for tribal areas.

Grid infrastructure is also getting a green makeover through the Green Energy Corridor, while platforms like the Green Term Ahead Market (GTAM) are expanding renewable trading options. Other recent reforms include net metering updates, repowering policies for aging wind assets, offshore wind lease rules, and open access frameworks for commercial and industrial users.

India’s rooftop solar push is no longer a fringe policy experiment, it’s the foundation of a broader clean energy transition.