PM Surya Ghar Muft Bijli Yojana: A Boost to Employment and Entrepreneurship

PM Surya Ghar: Muft Bijli Yojana, which was earlier launched to help 10 million households switch to solar power, will bring a change to the job market and entrepreneurial opportunities in India.

The government plans to train 100,000 people to install and maintain solar panels for various jobs in the renewable energy sector. According to sources known to the development, ministries of renewable energy and skill development and entrepreneurship have joined hands to frame a wide-reaching 'skilling plan' for “PM Surya Ghar: Muft Bijli Yojana”. 

As part of the government’s plan to promote rooftop solar projects, it is setting up to create a mechanism to help households generate 300 units of electricity from grid-connected solar panels. Subsidies up to INR 78,000 are available to those who wish to participate in the scheme.

The scheme on one hand is expected to promote the use of solar energy and on the other hand, create manpower to support this transition. REC Ltd, the nodal agency for the scheme, will engage entities including the National Power Training Institute and National Skill Development Corporation for the training.

One key aspect of this plan is the SURYAMITRA Skill Development Training Programme which is being organised by the National Institute of Solar Energy (NISE). This programme will impart technical training to individuals to become skilled technicians in the solar technology field. 

10+2 graduates, ITI diploma holders, and other equivalent qualifications will be trained under this programme. The training programme includes the installation, commissioning, operation, and maintenance of solar panels and is in tune with the National Solar Mission (NSM).

Encouraging Entrepreneurship in the Solar Sector

Along with skilling, the scheme also addresses the concern of the lack of a strong vendor ecosystem to support the widespread installation of solar panels. The government will train 50,000 vendors in entrepreneurship and persuade them to register on the national rooftop solar portal.

This will help in bringing down the hassles in the registration process. Until now, solar vendors had to register with distribution companies. The direct registration to the portal will create a streamlined vendor network.

At an outlay of INR 75,021 crore, PM Surya Ghar: Muft Bijli Yojana will bring in both economic and environmental benefits to the country. The scheme has been rolled out through power distribution companies and a chain of vendors. Subsidies will be directly transferred to the consumers of distribution companies and collateral-free loans will be given to them to ensure widespread accessibility and adoption.