West Bengal Sets Target of 5 Lakh Rooftop Solar Households Under PM Surya Ghar Scheme by 2027

West Bengal has set an ambitious target of bringing 5 lakh households under the PM Surya Ghar Muft Bijli Yojana by March 2027, as the state seeks to accelerate residential rooftop solar adoption and reduce electricity consumption.

The scheme was formally launched in the state at the state secretariat Nabanna. The state government said that  1,810 households have already been covered in the first phase and announced that beneficiaries will receive financial support from both the Centre and the state.

The Centre has set a target of covering 1 lakh beneficiary households in West Bengal by March 31, 2027. However, the state has raised the ambition to five times that target, aiming to extend rooftop solar installations to 5 lakh households.

Under the state support structure, households installing rooftop solar systems of up to 1 kW will receive a total subsidy of INR 35,000, comprising INR 30,000 from the Centre and INR 5,000 from the state. The assistance rises to INR 70,000 for 2 kW systems, while households installing 3 kW systems will be eligible for a total subsidy of INR 93,000, including INR 15,000 in state support.

The state has also announced an additional INR 15,000 grant for Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribe beneficiaries. The government is examining whether similar assistance can be extended to other economically weaker households.

The initiative is expected to help households lower their electricity bills while supporting the state's transition towards cleaner energy. The government has also indicated that the rooftop solar programme will eventually be extended to government offices.

The latest push follows a broader expansion of rooftop solar plans in West Bengal. In May, the Centre had reportedly set a target of installing rooftop solar systems for 2.7 lakh domestic consumers in the state over two years, highlighting the growing focus on distributed solar generation in the state.