PM Surya Ghar Yojana 2026: ₹78,000 Solar Subsidy and Loan

PM Surya Ghar: Muft Bijli Yojana pays a household up to ₹78,000 (up to ₹85,800 in special category states) towards a rooftop solar system, and public sector banks lend the rest without collateral at about 6% for systems up to 3 kW. As of October 2026, the scheme is active, run by the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE) through electricity distribution companies (DISCOMs), with a target of one crore homes by March 2027. You apply on the national portal pmsuryaghar.gov.in, not through an agent.

This guide covers who qualifies, the exact subsidy slabs, how the solar loan works and what it costs, a worked EMI example, and what to do if your subsidy is stuck.

Scheme status in October 2026

The scheme was approved in February 2024 with an outlay of ₹75,021 crore. MNRE reported about 26.2 lakh rooftop installations and nearly ₹17,968 crore of central subsidy released by 19 March 2026. The subsidy is available only under the capital expenditure (capex) model, where you own the system. It is limited to residential consumers. Group housing societies and resident welfare associations get a separate subsidy for common facilities.

Subsidy amounts (as of October 2026)

The subsidy is 60% of the benchmark cost up to 2 kW and 40% of the additional cost from 2 to 3 kW, capped at 3 kW. In rupees:

Special category states and UTs are the North Eastern states including Sikkim, Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Jammu and Kashmir, Ladakh, Andaman and Nicobar Islands and Lakshadweep. Some states and UTs add their own top-up subsidy; check your DISCOM's page on the portal.

A household that needs about 0-150 units a month is typically suited to a 1-2 kW system, and 150-300 units to a 2-3 kW system. You can install a bigger system, but the subsidy stays capped at the 3 kW amount.

Who is eligible

• The applicant is an Indian citizen and owns the house, with rights to the roof
• The roof has enough shadow-free space for panels (roughly 10 sq m per kW is a common estimate)
• A valid electricity connection in the applicant's name with the local DISCOM
• No other subsidy taken earlier for rooftop solar on that connection
• The system is installed by a vendor registered on the portal, using domestically manufactured modules with domestic cells

Tenants cannot claim the subsidy unless the connection and roof rights are in their name.

The PM Surya Ghar solar loan

Banks offer a dedicated loan so that a household does not have to pay the full cost upfront. The government has said eligible borrowers can get collateral-free loans from public sector banks at around repo rate plus 0.5%. SBI's published terms are a good reference:

Rates are floating and linked to SBI's external benchmark, so they move with the repo rate. Other public sector banks have similar products; you can compare and apply through the JanSamarth portal (jansamarth.in) after registering on the PM Surya Ghar portal. The subsidy is credited to your account, and when you take the SBI loan you give the loan account number so the subsidy goes straight into the loan.

Before applying for the larger loan, it helps to check your CIBIL score for free because a score below 650 can block the ₹2-6 lakh slab.

Worked example: 3 kW system with a loan

Assume a 3 kW system costs ₹1,90,000 installed (prices vary by state and vendor; this is illustrative), in a general-category state.

Now the saving side. A 3 kW system in most of India generates around 4 units per kW a day, or about 360 units a month. At an average tariff of ₹6 a unit, that is roughly ₹2,160 a month off the electricity bill, which more than covers an EMI of ₹1,032. Generation, tariff slabs and net-metering rules differ by state, so treat these numbers as illustrative. To make the EMI arithmetic yourself, use our EMI calculator; the logic is explained in how EMI is calculated.

In practice, the subsidy arrives after commissioning, not on day one. Some banks recalculate the EMI after the subsidy is credited and others reduce the tenure, so ask which method your bank uses.

How to apply, step by step

1. Register on pmsuryaghar.gov.in: choose your state and DISCOM, enter your electricity consumer number, mobile number and email.
2. Log in and apply for rooftop solar with your consumer number and mobile OTP. Fill in the form with the system size you want.
3. Wait for feasibility approval from your DISCOM. Do not install before this approval.
4. Choose a registered vendor from the portal list and agree on price and warranty in writing. Get the quotation and site feasibility report, which you will need for the loan.
5. Apply for the loan (optional) through JanSamarth or your bank, with KYC, an electricity bill, the vendor quotation and, for loans above ₹2 lakh, PAN and income proof.
6. Installation: the vendor installs the plant. Submit plant details on the portal and apply for a net meter.
7. Inspection and commissioning: the DISCOM installs the net meter, inspects the plant and generates the commissioning certificate on the portal.
8. Submit bank details and a cancelled cheque on the portal. The subsidy is then credited to your bank account (or loan account).

Common reasons the subsidy is rejected or stuck

• Installation before DISCOM feasibility approval
• Vendor not registered on the portal, or modules that are not domestically made
• Name on the electricity connection different from the applicant or bank account
• Net meter not installed or commissioning report pending with the DISCOM
• Previous solar subsidy already taken on the same connection
• Wrong bank details or an inactive account

How to complain

1. Portal grievance: raise a complaint from your login on pmsuryaghar.gov.in. Track it there.
2. DISCOM: for feasibility, net meter and inspection delays, write to your DISCOM's rooftop solar cell or consumer grievance forum.
3. Bank: for loan issues, use the bank's grievance channel. If unresolved after 30 days, file with the RBI Integrated Ombudsman at cms.rbi.org.in.
4. CPGRAMS: pgportal.gov.in, addressed to MNRE, for unresolved scheme issues.

Watch out for fake websites and agents

Fake "Surya Ghar registration" sites and callers ask for a fee to "approve" your subsidy. Registration on the national portal is free, and the subsidy is paid only into your own bank or loan account. Never share OTPs or pay a "processing" or "approval" fee to anyone. Report fraud at cybercrime.gov.in or call 1930. Our guide to how to spot investment and scheme scams lists the common warning signs.

Key takeaways

• As of October 2026, PM Surya Ghar is active with a subsidy of ₹30,000 (1 kW), ₹60,000 (2 kW) and ₹78,000 (3 kW and above); special category states get up to ₹85,800.
• Public sector banks offer collateral-free solar loans; SBI charges 6.00% up to ₹2 lakh and 8.15% for ₹2-6 lakh, with a 10% margin and up to 10 years.
• Apply only through pmsuryaghar.gov.in, wait for DISCOM approval, and use a registered vendor.
• In the illustrative example, the subsidy cuts the EMI from about ₹1,898 to ₹1,032, below the expected monthly bill saving.
• Subsidy is released after the net meter and commissioning; most delays are at that stage.
• Never pay agents for registration or subsidy approval.