What is PM Surya Ghar Yojana

If a customer calls today and asks "What subsidy will I get on solar?", you need to know the exact number, the exact process, and the exact documents. One wrong answer, and they call your competitor.

PM Surya Ghar Muft Bijli Yojana is the Indian government's biggest rooftop solar push ever. Launched in February 2024, the scheme targets 1 crore households and offers the most generous residential solar subsidy India has seen. For installers and EPCs, it's both an enormous opportunity and a minefield of process steps that your customer expects you to navigate.

This guide covers everything: the subsidy slabs, eligibility rules, the full application process, vendor empanelment, and how to present all of this to your customer in a way that closes the deal.

The scheme is moving fast. According to the PM Surya Ghar National Portal, over 1.4 crore household registrations were recorded by early 2026. The installers capturing those leads are the ones who have mastered the process end-to-end.

What Is PM Surya Ghar Muft Bijli Yojana?

PM Surya Ghar Muft Bijli Yojana, the name translates as "PM Sun Home: Free Electricity Scheme", is a ₹75,021 crore central government scheme to bring rooftop solar to 1 crore Indian households by 2027. It was announced by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on 13 February 2024 and operationalised through the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE).

The core promise: a 2–3 kW on-grid rooftop system generates approximately 300 free units per month, roughly offsetting the average Indian household's electricity bill. After the system pays back, typically 5–7 years with subsidy, the electricity is effectively free for the remaining 20+ year life of the panels.

For a deeper definition of the scheme and its policy context, see the PM Surya Ghar glossary entry.

PM Surya Ghar Subsidy Slabs, Exactly How Much Does Your Customer Get?

The subsidy is structured in three slabs, determined by installed system capacity. The MNRE specifies these directly in the scheme's operational guidelines.

One nuance your customer will not know: the subsidy arrives as a Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT) after installation, not a price discount upfront. The customer pays full project cost (or finances it via a loan), and the subsidy flows into their Aadhaar-linked bank account after DISCOM commissioning approval.

Who Qualifies? The Complete Eligibility Checklist

Not every household can apply. These are the conditions your site-survey team must verify before a customer registers:

Applicant requirements:

• Indian residential consumer, flats, independent homes, government housing colonies
• Property owner (tenants in rented accommodation generally cannot apply; housing societies can apply collectively for individual flats)
• The electricity connection must be in the applicant's name, with an active consumer number from the local DISCOM
• Not already a beneficiary of a state solar subsidy scheme for the same property

Property and system requirements:

• Adequate shadow-free roof area (roughly 10–12 sq ft per 100 Wp; 3 kW needs ~300 sq ft)
• Electricity connection categorised as residential/domestic on the bill
• Only on-grid (grid-connected) solar systems qualify, no subsidy for off-grid or hybrid
• Modules and inverters must be on the MNRE's ALMM (Approved List of Models and Manufacturers)
• Installer must be DISCOM-empanelled on the national portal

How PM Surya Ghar Works, Application to Disbursement

The end-to-end process has eight steps. As an installer, you own Steps 5–7. Steps 1–4 are consumer-side. The full journey takes 45–90 days from first registration to subsidy receipt.

1. 1

   Consumer registers on the portal

   Customer visits pmsuryaghar.gov.in, selects their state and DISCOM, and enters their electricity consumer number to create an account.

2. 2

   Customer applies for feasibility approval

   Application sent to the DISCOM through the portal. The DISCOM checks whether the local feeder (transformer) has capacity to accept solar injection from this address.

3. 3

   DISCOM grants feasibility letter

   In most DISCOMs this takes 7–15 working days. Without this letter, no empanelled installer can begin work. Never commit a start date before this arrives.

4. 4

   Customer selects an empanelled installer

   Customer picks a vendor from the DISCOM-approved empanelment list shown on the portal. If you are empanelled, you appear here, this is inbound discovery at zero CAC.

5. 5

   Installer completes the installation

   You install the ALMM-listed system within the sanctioned capacity. All materials must match the approved BOM exactly, no substitutions post-approval.

6. 6

   Installer submits installation report on the portal

   Upload GPS-tagged installation photos, module serial numbers, inverter serial number, and the commissioning certificate. This triggers the DISCOM inspection request.

7. 7

   DISCOM inspects and installs net meter

   The DISCOM's technical team verifies the installation, replaces the existing meter with a bi-directional net meter, and approves the connection for solar grid export.

8. 8

   Subsidy disbursed via DBT

   After DISCOM commissioning approval, the central subsidy (and any state top-up) is transferred to the customer's Aadhaar-linked bank account, typically within 30 days of approval sign-off.

The PM Surya Ghar Subsidy Stack, A Framework for Closing Deals Faster

Most customers (and many installers) treat PM Surya Ghar as just the central ₹78,000 grant. That's Layer 1. The full financial picture has three layers, and when you present all three together, the effective payback drops dramatically, and deals close faster.

This is the PM Surya Ghar Subsidy Stack framework:

Layer 1, Central MNRE Grant

• Up to ₹78,000 on a 3 kW system; slabs as shown above
• Delivered as DBT post-commissioning; available in all states
• No state-level application needed, customer claims through national portal

Layer 2, State Top-up Subsidy

• Several state governments layer additional cash on top of the central grant
• Gujarat (GEDA): ₹10,000–₹20,000 additional
• Rajasthan: ₹10,000 additional for eligible households
• Delhi: ₹10,000 additional in select BSES/TPDDL service areas
• Not all states have top-ups, verify with the state nodal agency before quoting

Layer 3, Concessional Loan (IREDA / Partner Banks)

• IREDA and partner banks (SBI, Bank of Baroda, Canara Bank) offer PM Surya Ghar-linked loans at ~7% per annum, well below the market rate of 10–12%
• Typically 5–7 year tenure, no pre-payment penalty
• Customer pays EMI instead of lump sum, dramatically reduces the upfront barrier

When Rohit's sales team can show this three-layer math live on their Android phone at the customer's house, in under 5 minutes, close rates go up. The Subsidy Stack is your defensible sales angle, no generic solar company can replicate it without mastering all three layers.

State Top-up Subsidies, The Complete Table

PM Surya Ghar for Your EPC, Pros and Cons

Common Mistakes EPCs Make on PM Surya Ghar Projects

These are the six mistakes that cause the most project delays, subsidy rejections, and customer complaints:

1. Quoting before feasibility approval. Never commit a price or start date before the DISCOM grants the feasibility letter. If the feeder is at capacity, the project is blocked. A premature quote creates a dispute you can't win.

2. Using non-ALMM material. The cheapest module may not be on the ALMM list. Always cross-check before procurement. A rejected commissioning report = customer loses their entire subsidy = your relationship is destroyed.

3. Getting the subsidy slab wrong. If you quote ₹78,000 for a 1.5 kW system, the customer receives ₹45,000. That ₹33,000 gap becomes your problem. Always calculate slab-by-slab for the exact system size.

4. Incomplete commissioning documentation. The portal requires GPS-tagged photos, specific wiring diagrams, and individual serial numbers for every module and inverter. Incomplete submissions delay the DISCOM inspection by weeks.

5. Not tracking portal status. The portal shows DISCOM inspection scheduling. If you aren't watching it, you miss the inspection window and lose 2–3 weeks. Assign one person to check portal status for every active project daily.

6. Missing the referral moment. When your customer's subsidy hits their bank account, they are at peak satisfaction. That's the moment to ask for three referrals. Most EPCs never ask. The ones who do fill their next month's pipeline from last month's closures.

See how DISCOM approval delays affect your entire pipeline in the guide to managing solar leads effectively.

How QuickEstimate Fits Into Your PM Surya Ghar Workflow

Running 10 active PM Surya Ghar projects simultaneously means tracking 10 DISCOM approval timelines, 10 sets of portal paperwork, and 10 customers expecting WhatsApp updates. That's the exact situation where Rohit's 12-person EPC in Surat was spending 3 hours a day before moving off spreadsheets.

• Proposal Generator, Build a PM Surya Ghar proposal in 60 seconds: system size → ALMM-listed BOM → subsidy auto-calculated → branded PDF ready to share. No manual ₹ math, no slab errors.
• WhatsApp Follow-up, Send the proposal to the customer's WhatsApp and see exactly when they open it. Set a follow-up reminder in one tap so no lead goes cold during the DISCOM wait period.
• Pipeline Management, Tag every PM Surya Ghar lead by stage: pre-feasibility / feasibility approved / installed / inspection pending / subsidy disbursed. See every active project on one screen.
• Sales Reports, See how many projects are stuck at DISCOM inspection vs. progressing. Catch bottlenecks before they become customer escalations or cash-flow problems.

QuickEstimate is free for 10 proposals/month, no card required. The best solar CRM for Indian EPCs is the one your field team will actually use from their Android phone at the customer's home.

What to Do This Week, For Your EPC

1. Verify your empanelment status. Log in to the PM Surya Ghar national portal and confirm your DISCOM empanelment is active. If you've been running PM Surya Ghar projects without empanelment, customers who find the portal first can't select you, start the process today.

2. Audit your BOM against the ALMM list. Download the latest MNRE ALMM notification and cross-check every module and inverter you currently stock or plan to quote. Replace non-ALMM items now.

3. Build a Subsidy Stack proposal template. Create one standard proposal template that shows all three layers (central subsidy + state top-up + EMI scenario) for your most common system sizes, 1 kW, 2 kW, 3 kW. A customer who sees ₹390/month net saving from day one is a customer who closes that week, not next month.

Frequently asked questions

What is PM Surya Ghar Muft Bijli Yojana?

PM Surya Ghar Muft Bijli Yojana is India's central government rooftop solar subsidy scheme, launched in February 2024 by PM Modi under MNRE. It targets 1 crore households and offers up to ₹78,000 in direct subsidy for residential on-grid solar systems up to 3 kW, plus concessional loans at ~7% through IREDA, SBI, Bank of Baroda, and other partner banks. Only DISCOM-empanelled installers using ALMM-listed equipment can execute eligible projects.

What is the maximum PM Surya Ghar subsidy?

The maximum central subsidy is ₹78,000 for a 3 kW or larger on-grid system. It is calculated in slabs: ₹30,000/kW for the first 2 kW (max ₹60,000), then ₹18,000 for the third kW. Above 3 kW, no additional central subsidy is given. State top-ups in Gujarat and Madhya Pradesh can push the combined maximum to ₹93,000–₹98,000.

Who qualifies for PM Surya Ghar scheme?

Residential households with an active DISCOM electricity connection in the property owner's name. The property must be categorised as domestic/residential on the electricity bill. Only on-grid solar systems using ALMM-listed modules and inverters are eligible, installed by an empanelled vendor. Tenants in rented accommodation generally do not qualify; housing societies can apply collectively for individual flats.

How long does PM Surya Ghar subsidy disbursement take?

The full process, from application to subsidy receipt, typically takes 45 to 90 days. DISCOM feasibility approval: 7–15 working days. Installation: 1–3 days. DISCOM inspection and net meter installation: 15–30 days. DBT transfer: up to 30 days after commissioning approval. DISCOMs in Gujarat tend to be faster; those in eastern states typically take longer.

Can a tenant apply for PM Surya Ghar?

Generally no. The scheme requires the applicant to be the property owner. Tenants cannot apply individually. For apartment buildings, the housing society (RWA or CGHS) can apply collectively, with individual flat owners each receiving subsidy credit. Some state-level implementations have exceptions, always verify with the specific DISCOM before advising a customer.

What documents are required for PM Surya Ghar?

Consumer needs: Aadhaar card (for identity and DBT linking), electricity bill with consumer number, Aadhaar-linked bank account details, and a passport photo. For apartments, a society NOC is required. Installer needs: DISCOM empanelment certificate, ALMM-compliant BOM, GPS-tagged installation photos, and module/inverter serial numbers for the commissioning report upload.

What is the PM Surya Ghar concessional loan interest rate?

IREDA and partner banks (SBI, Bank of Baroda, Canara Bank) offer PM Surya Ghar-linked loans at approximately 7% per annum, well below typical personal loan rates of 10–14%. The government pays the interest differential. Loan tenures run 5–10 years with no pre-payment penalty. Customers apply through the national portal after their DISCOM feasibility is approved.

Does an installer need empanelment to do PM Surya Ghar work?

Yes. Only DISCOM-empanelled installers can execute PM Surya Ghar subsidy projects. An un-empanelled installer completing a project means the customer cannot claim any central subsidy. Empanelment is done through the national portal and requires MSME/Udyam registration proof, technical capacity documentation, and bank account details, typically a 7–21 day process.

Is the PM Surya Ghar subsidy a discount or a bank transfer?

It is a post-installation bank transfer, not a discount at point of sale. The customer pays the full project cost upfront (or via loan), and the subsidy is transferred to their Aadhaar-linked bank account after DISCOM commissioning approval. Always explain this clearly in your first meeting to avoid customer confusion and disputes after installation.

What if the DISCOM rejects the feasibility application?

If the local feeder is at capacity, the DISCOM may deny feasibility or ask for a waiting period until the feeder is upgraded. In this case, the customer cannot proceed with the PM Surya Ghar subsidy. Before running outreach in any new area, check with the local DISCOM office which feeders have available capacity to avoid wasted site visits and dead leads.