New Delhi. The Centre has said that it will encourage Panchayati Raj institutions to promote the installation of rooftop solar projects in villages under the PM-Surya Ghar: Free Electricity Scheme. It has requested the states to work for the successful implementation of the scheme.
The Ministry of Panchayati Raj has written to the states to share guidelines for installing solar panels on rooftops and providing free electricity up to 300 monthly units to one crore households. The scheme was launched in February 2024.
Additional Secretary in the Ministry of Panchayati Raj, Chandrashekhar Kumar, has written a letter to all the state departments in this regard on July 8. In the letter, officials have been asked to share the operational guidelines of the scheme with Panchayati Raj institutions, officials of the Panchayati Raj departments of the state and other concerned parties. The aim of this initiative is to help in understanding the scheme better. He also called for taking necessary steps to actively participate in the successful implementation of ‘PM Surya Ghar: Free Electricity Scheme’.
The total expenditure on this scheme is estimated at Rs 75,021 crore and it is to be implemented by the financial year 2026-27. Under the scheme, provision has been made for central financial assistance (CFA) of 60 per cent of the cost for a plant of two kilowatt capacity and 40 per cent of the additional cost for a plant of two kilowatt to three kilowatt capacity. Financial assistance has been limited to three kilowatt capacity.