MNRE Notifies SOP to Address Vendor Violations under PM Surya Ghar
The Ministry of New and Renewable Energy has introduced a formal grievance redressal and enforcement framework under PM Surya Ghar, enabling temporary deactivation of vendors that fail to address consumer complaints, rectify defects or comply with quality standards.
June 24, 2026. By Mrinmoy Dey
MNRE has stated that the SOP will be implemented through the PM Surya Ghar national portal and will apply to complaints received through the Grievance Management System (GMS), third-party inspections, and other channels, such as references received from government authorities.
Under the procedure, complaints will be categorised into three groups. The first category covers grievances submitted by consumers through the national portal or directly to the vendor management unit. The second category relates to defects identified during inspections conducted by third-party agencies appointed under the scheme. The third category includes complaints received through other sources, including VIP references and communications received by MNRE.
The SOP establishes a timeline-based escalation mechanism. Once a complaint is received, the concerned vendor will be given eight days to submit an explanation. If no response is received, a reminder will be issued after the initial eight-day period.
Vendors that fail to respond within 15 days of the complaint will be served a show-cause notice informing them that their accounts may be deactivated on the PM Surya Ghar portal for one month. If the vendor either fails to respond to the notice or provides an unsatisfactory explanation within 15 days of its issuance, the concerned registering agency will proceed with the deactivation of the vendor account for one month.
The ministry has also provided an appeal mechanism. Deactivated vendors may submit an appeal to the concerned registering agency within 30 days, along with supporting evidence. Vendors whose responses are found satisfactory may be reinstated on the national portal within one month. However, vendors that fail to respond within one month of deactivation or continue to provide unsatisfactory explanations may remain deactivated following a case-by-case assessment in consultation with MNRE.
To improve transparency, MNRE has directed that the names of deactivated vendors be displayed regularly on the PM Surya Ghar national portal.
The SOP also identifies specific violations that could trigger action against vendors. These include installations that do not meet prescribed technical specifications for solar modules, inverters, mounting structures, junction boxes, distribution boxes and cables; structural safety concerns; absence of mandatory protection systems such as earthing and surge protection; improper installation practices; and delays in addressing consumer complaints under Comprehensive Maintenance Contracts (CMC).
Other violations include failure to provide warranties, technical certifications or consumer agreements, incomplete installations despite receiving payment, delays in project execution after receipt of advance payments, and other instances of substandard installation.
For cases arising from third-party inspections, MNRE has listed defects related to equipment quality, documentation deficiencies, mismatches in solar module serial numbers, non-compliance with Domestic Content Requirement (DCR) provisions verified through the National Institute of Solar Energy (NISE) portal, and situations where vendors obstruct inspection agencies from carrying out inspections.
The SOP is intended to strengthen consumer protection, improve service quality and ensure greater accountability among vendors participating in the PM Surya Ghar: Muft Bijli Yojana.
please contact: contact@energetica-india.net.
Praveen Kakulte
Founder and CEO
O&M of RE Assets Has Evolved into an Intelligence-Led Function: Praveen Kakulte
Raahul Hari Nair
Founder
The Future Belongs to Energy-Intelligent Enterprises, Says CHI'GRIDS' Founder Raahul Hari Nair
Dibakar Roy
Founder and CEO
Automation, AI and Smart Manufacturing Emerge as Biggest Draw at SNEC 2026: Dibakar Roy
Hiren Pravin Shah
Managing Director and CEO
Renewable Expansion Without Storage will put Increasing Stress on the Grid: Hiren Pravin Shah
Aakshi Mahajan
Head– Digital Marketing
Integrated EPC Solutions are IB Solar’s Strongest Differentiator: Aakshi Mahajan