The Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Modi on January 22 announced ‘Pradhan Mantri Suryodaya Yojana’ under which 1 crore households will get rooftop solar.
- The scheme would help not only reduce electricity bills of the “poor and middle class”, but also push India’s goal of becoming self-reliant in the energy sector.
Rooftop Solar Programme
- Rooftop solar panels are the photovoltaic panels installed on the roof of a building which is connected to main power supply unit.
- In 2014, the government launched the Rooftop Solar Programme that aimed to achieve a cumulative installed capacity of 40,000 megawatts (MW) or 40 gigawatts (GW) by 2022.
- The target couldn’t be achieved. As a result, the government extended the deadline from 2022 to 2026.
- The Pradhan Mantri Suryodaya Yojana is a new attempt to help reach the target of 40 GW rooftop solar capacity.
- Solar power installed capacity in India has reached around 73.31 GW as of December 2023.
- Solar power has a major share in the country’s current renewable energy capacity, which stands at around 180 GW.
- The scheme aims to expand India’s rooftop solar installed capacity in the residential sector by providing Central Financial Assistance — the financial assistance to the eligible projects as per MNRE Guidelines — and incentives to DISCOMs (distribution companies).
- The Rooftop Solar programme’s goal is to increase rooftop solar installed capacity to 40 GM by March 2026 and it is currently in its second phase.
- Owing to the scheme, the country’s rooftop solar has increased from 1.8 GW as of March 2019 to 10.4 GW as of November 2023.
