PM Surya Ghar Yojana: How Much Subsidy on Solar Panels

What You'll Learn

• 2026 subsidy slabs from ₹30,000 per kW up to the ₹78,000 cap, plus state top-ups such as Tamil Nadu's ₹1,00,000
• The exact pmsuryaghar.gov.in application flow: OTP login, vendor selection, feasibility approval, net-metering and the DBT subsidy claim
• Vendor safety checks, the 45 to 90 day timeline, and the top rejection reasons with step-by-step fixes
• Real savings math showing how a ₹3,000 bill falls to ₹200–300 and why the system pays back in 3 to 4 years

The PM Surya Ghar Yojana 2026 apply online process has never been easier to start, and the numbers prove why it is worth starting now. India's flagship rooftop solar scheme crossed 50 lakh installations on 4 August 2026, July 2026 delivered a record 5.06 lakh new systems in a single month, and the daily pace now sits above 16,300 installations. The programme, launched in February 2024 with a ₹75,000 crore outlay, aims to give 1 crore households up to 300 units of free electricity every month by March 2027.

A 3kW rooftop system attracts a central subsidy of ₹78,000, roughly 40 percent of the installed cost, and typically cuts a ₹3,000 monthly bill to ₹200–300. The Union Budget 2026-27 allocated an additional ₹22,000 crore to the scheme, and ₹22,750 crore has already been disbursed to consumers. This guide covers the updated subsidy slabs, the exact portal application flow, how to pick a safe empaneled vendor, the realistic 45 to 90 day timeline, the most common rejection reasons with fixes, and a savings calculator so you can size your system correctly. Every figure is traceable to official announcements from 2026. For walkthroughs of other direct-benefit schemes, see our PM Kisan registration guide and the Lakshmir Bhandar guide for West Bengal.

Overview of PM Surya Ghar Muft Bijli Yojana 2026

The Pradhan Mantri Surya Ghar: Muft Bijli Yojana, described in detail on the Wikipedia page for the scheme, was launched in February 2024 and is India's largest residential solar programme. Its goal is simple: provide up to 300 units of free electricity every month to 1 crore low- and middle-income households by March 2027, replacing subsidies with actual power generation.

The subsidy reaches consumers as a Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT) to an Aadhaar-seeded bank account, normally within 30 working days of commissioning and DISCOM inspection. The scheme is comfortably ahead of its own roadmap. From 6.34 lakh installations in December 2024, the count climbed past 40 lakh by March 2026 and crossed 50 lakh by August 2026. July 2026 produced the best month ever with 5.06 lakh new installations, and 29 May 2026 set the previous single-day record of 15,000 systems. A parliamentary panel has now asked for faster rollout in the Northeast so the remaining states share the momentum.

Subsidy Slabs 2026: How Much Will You Get?

The Central Financial Assistance (CFA) is identical across India and depends only on system capacity. For systems up to 3kW the subsidy is ₹30,000 per kW, the third kW adds ₹18,000, and the total is capped at ₹78,000. Installations above 3kW, up to 10kW, still receive a maximum of ₹78,000. The slabs are published on the official pmsuryaghar.gov.in portal and cover roughly 40 percent of the installed cost of a typical 3kW plant.

Group Housing Societies (GHS) and Residential Welfare Associations (RWA) can claim ₹18,000 per kW for common lighting and facilities, capped at 500kW. State governments add their own top-ups on top of these central figures, which we detail later in this guide. A 2kW system in Uttar Pradesh, for example, combines ₹60,000 central with ₹30,000 state support for a total of ₹90,000.

Eligibility & Documents: Who Can Apply?

The scheme is open to every Indian residential consumer with a valid electricity connection in their own name and a suitable rooftop. Tenants can apply only when the installation is done in the owner's name with a long-term No Objection Certificate (NOC) from the property owner.

• Citizenship: Indian citizen with permanent residence in the country
• Aadhaar linkage: the bank account receiving the subsidy must be Aadhaar-seeded and NPCI-linked for DBT
• Rooftop space: minimum 100 sq.ft for a 1kW system and 300 sq.ft for a 3kW system of shadow-free area
• Documents: Latest electricity bill (last 6 months), Aadhaar card, bank passbook or cancelled cheque, and house ownership proof or NOC.

How to Apply Online: The 2026 Portal Process

The entire flow runs on the National Portal for Rooftop Solar, with consumer actions handled at consumer.pmsuryaghar.gov.in. Here is the exact sequence used in 2026:

1. Consumer Login: Visit consumer.pmsuryaghar.gov.in, enter your mobile number, and verify with OTP. Your name, state, and district are picked up from the records.
2. Vendor popup: when the portal asks whether your vendor will fill the application, select Yes only if you have chosen an empaneled vendor who is ready to assist. Otherwise select No and fill the form yourself.
3. Apply for Solar Rooftop: Select your state, DISCOM, consumer number, and fill the rooftop form with roof details and load requirements. Registered consumers can also use the 'Apply for Solar Rooftop' button on the main portal.
4. Feasibility Approval: Your DISCOM will review the application and grant technical feasibility (usually within 7-15 days).
5. Installation: install the plant through a vendor empaneled on the portal using only ALMM-compliant modules. Never install before receiving approval, as pre-installed plants are the single biggest cause of rejection.
6. Net Meter & Commissioning: Apply for net-metering, get the meter installed, and the commissioning certificate is generated on the portal after inspection.
7. Subsidy Claim: Submit bank details and claim the DBT subsidy, credited within 30 working days of commissioning.

The official PM - SURYA GHAR mobile app, available on Google Play, lets you estimate generation and savings, track your application and monitor net-metering, so the process works without a computer at every step. Consumers without a smartphone or reliable internet can complete the registration at their DISCOM's designated customer counters or with the help of a Common Service Centre. The centre staff fill the same portal form with your documents and hand you a printed application reference number. From there the approval, installation, inspection and subsidy stages run exactly as they do for online applicants, so rural households are not left out of the zero-bill promise. For a condensed version of this flow, use the quick apply guide linked in the box above.

Vendor Selection: How to Choose a Safe Installer

Your vendor decides whether the subsidy arrives or is rejected, so treat selection seriously. Run these five checks before signing anything:

• Portal empanelment: the vendor must appear in the empaneled vendor list on the National Portal. Applications from vendors outside this list are not approved.
• ALMM modules: The solar panels must be on the ALMM (Approved List of Models and Manufacturers). Non-ALMM modules disqualify the subsidy claim outright.
• Warranty: minimum 25 years for panels and 5 years for the inverter, with written warranty certificates provided at installation.
• Benchmark pricing: compare at least three quotes. The 2026 benchmark is roughly ₹50,000–60,000 per kW installed, and inflated quotes that claim to include the subsidy are a warning sign.
• Model data sheet: The vendor must provide the model-wise data sheet for portal upload before commissioning.

Pay only against installation milestones and never hand over the full amount upfront. The portal never collects money from consumers, so any vendor asking for a portal registration fee or processing fee is a red flag you should walk away from. Post-installation support matters just as much as the quote. Ask the vendor for a signed maintenance schedule, including quarterly panel cleaning, inverter checks and a clear channel for warranty claims. Most good vendors offer a free service visit in the first year and charge a modest annual fee after that. Record the vendor's helpline number on the day of installation, because you will need it for the rare occasions when the app shows a generation drop.

Realistic Timeline: 45–90 Days to Zero Bill

Most households go from registration to their first reduced bill within 45 to 90 days. The stages below reflect the actual 2026 processing times reported across DISCOMs:

Delays almost always trace back to documentation errors or vendor slowness rather than the portal itself. Track your stage in the application status tab and escalate to the DISCOM nodal officer if any stage crosses its expected window.

Rejection Reasons and How to Fix Them

Around one in five applications stalls or gets rejected, but almost every rejection is fixable. These are the most common causes reported in 2026 and the exact fix for each:

• Installed before applying: The number-one reason. Panels installed before feasibility approval are flagged as pre-installed. Fix: always register and get approval first; if already installed, contact your DISCOM nodal officer to document the sequence before resubmitting.
• Name mismatch: The name on the electricity bill, Aadhaar, and bank account must match. Fix: correct the account or bill name, or apply in the name of the joint holder that matches all three.
• Outdated electricity bill: Bills older than 6 months or a consumer number that changed after a meter replacement get rejected. Fix: upload the latest bill and verify the consumer number on the DISCOM portal.
• Non-ALMM modules or inverter: The subsidy is automatically disqualified. Fix: check the ALMM list before purchase and ask the vendor for the certificate.
• Vendor not empaneled: applications filed by unlisted vendors fail. Re-select an empaneled vendor from the portal list and resubmit.
• Bank account not Aadhaar-seeded: the DBT transfer fails and the subsidy bounces. Seed and NPCI-link the account before claiming, using the same DBT bank-linking fixes that resolve Ujjwala payment failures.
• Rooftop issues: Shaded roofs, water tanks, or insufficient area fail feasibility. Fix: clear obstructions, remove trees or antennas near the array, and ensure 100–300 sq.ft of shadow-free space.
• Missing NOC: Tenants and rented homes get rejected without owner consent. Fix: attach a notarised NOC from the owner.

Once you correct the specific issue, submit a fresh application on the portal. A corrected new application moves faster than waiting for a silent rejection to age out of the system.

Real Savings Calculator: What Your Bill Becomes

A 3kW plant generates roughly 350 to 450 units per month, depending on location, roof orientation and panel quality. With 300 units of effectively free electricity and export credits for the surplus, a family currently paying ₹3,000 a month typically sees the bill fall to ₹200–300, a saving of about 90 percent. Use this realistic table for 2026 tariffs:

Cost math for a 3kW plant: at benchmark pricing of roughly ₹1.5–1.8 lakh installed, the ₹78,000 subsidy brings your net investment down to about ₹72,000–1,00,000. With yearly savings of ₹15,000–25,000, the payback lands at 3 to 4 years, and the panels then produce free power for the remaining 25-year life. Families routinely save more than ₹15,000 in the first year alone, which is why rooftop solar has become one of the best personal finance moves in 2026, alongside the habits covered in our Personal Finance India 2026 guide.

Net-Metering & ALMM Compliance in 2026

Net-metering is the engine of the zero-bill promise. Your panels feed excess daytime generation into the grid and you earn credits that offset nighttime consumption. Two 2026 changes matter: a few high-penetration pockets have temporarily paused new net-metering approvals while DISCOMs upgrade transformers, so check the net-metering status for your feeder before committing; and consumers who choose to forgo the subsidy can use modules outside the ALMM list under relaxed norms in some regions, while subsidy beneficiaries must use ALMM-approved modules and inverters without exception.

The commissioning certificate is generated on the portal only after the DISCOM inspects the plant and confirms the meter. Keep the model-wise data sheet and warranty certificates ready for upload, because the portal asks for them before it releases the subsidy. A rejection at this final stage is almost always a documentation problem, not a technical one.

Solar Loans: SBI, PNB, and Canara Bank Interest Rates 2026

Public sector banks offer collateral-free solar loans, often cheaper than standard personal loans. The EMI on these loans is usually lower than the monthly saving on your electricity bill, which makes the system effectively self-financing.

Tenures run up to 10 years. Because the subsidy is credited in the first month after commissioning, many households repay the entire loan from bill savings and never touch their own savings for the system.

State Top-Up Subsidies: UP, Tamil Nadu, and More

Several states add support on top of the central ₹78,000. Uttar Pradesh offers ₹15,000 per kW extra, up to ₹30,000, which takes a 2kW system's total subsidy to ₹90,000. On 6 August 2026, Tamil Nadu announced a residential rooftop solar subsidy of up to ₹1,00,000 on top of the central CFA, one of the highest state top-ups in the country. Bihar and Rajasthan run similar programmes for rural households.

After logging in, open the State Scheme section on the National Portal to see your state's exact figures, since some states change their top-ups quarterly. Energy support schemes follow the same pattern, so if you are also checking LPG support, see the Ujjwala Yojana 3.0 West Bengal guide.

Milestones: The Scheme's Record Run in Numbers

• Dec 2024: 1.45 crore registrations, 26.38 lakh applications, 6.34 lakh installations
• Mar 2026: 40 lakh installations completed, ₹17,967 crore subsidy disbursed
• May 29, 2026: single-day record of 15,000 installations
• Jul 2026: record month — 5.06 lakh new installations, ₹22,750 crore total CFA disbursed
• 4 Aug 2026: 50 lakh installations crossed, with the daily pace above 16,300 and India nearing 300 GW of non-fossil capacity
• Mar 2027: the government's target of 1 crore beneficiary households

Scam Red Flags: Protect Your Subsidy

• The portal never collects money. Anyone asking for an 'application fee', 'registration fee', or 'subsidy processing fee' is a fraud.
• Cold calls: no PM Surya Ghar office calls consumers to fast-track files for payment. The only status channel is the portal itself.
• Verify everything: Confirm the vendor on the portal's empaneled list and the modules on the ALMM list before paying anything.
• Commissioning certificate: it is generated only on the portal after DISCOM inspection. Paper certificates from third parties are not valid for the subsidy claim.

What's Next: PM Surya Ghar 2.0

Reports from mid-2026 indicate the next phase, PM Surya Ghar 2.0, will link subsidies to actual solar generation and add support for battery storage. That would address night-time consumption for households and reduce grid load during peak evening hours. Until the official rollout, the current ₹78,000 CFA structure remains fully active, so there is no reason to wait before registering. Watch the National Portal for the 2.0 announcement, and if you already have an application in progress, it will continue under the current rules.

Conclusion

With 50 lakh homes already generating their own power and more than 16,300 new installations every day, the PM Surya Ghar Muft Bijli Yojana is at its strongest point since launch. The formula for a smooth experience is simple: register before installation, choose an empaneled vendor using ALMM-compliant modules, keep your bill, Aadhaar and bank details in one consistent name, and track every stage on the portal. Do that, and the ₹78,000 subsidy plus a roughly 90 percent bill cut follow within 45 to 90 days.

With the 1 crore milestone targeted for March 2027 and the 2026-27 budget allocation at its peak, this is the right window to go solar. Start at pmsuryaghar.gov.in today, use the savings table above to pick your system size, and protect yourself from fraud by keeping every rupee off unofficial channels.