PM Surya Ghar: Muft Bijli Yojana pays homeowners central assistance for rooftop solar, straight into their bank account. It works well, but only if the steps happen in the right order and the paperwork lines up. Here's the process as it runs in West Bengal.
What you get
The assistance is paid per kilowatt: ₹30,000 for 1 kW, ₹60,000 for 2 kW, and ₹78,000 for 3 kW and above, which is the ceiling. Housing societies get a separate rate for common facilities. These are government figures and can be revised, so we check the notification in force whenever we file.
Who qualifies
- A domestic electricity connection in the applicant's name.
- A roof you own, or have written permission to use.
- DCR panels (made with Indian cells), installed by a vendor registered for your DISCOM on the national portal.
- One subsidy per connection.
The steps, in order
- Register on the PM Surya Ghar national portal with your state, DISCOM, consumer number and mobile number.
- Apply for rooftop solar through the portal and choose a registered vendor.
- Feasibility: the DISCOM checks that your connection can take the plant. Wait for this approval before anything goes on the roof.
- Install the plant with DCR panels and a compliant inverter.
- Submit the plant details and apply for the net meter on the portal.
- Inspection and net meter: the DISCOM inspects the plant, fits the net meter and records commissioning on the portal.
- Bank details: you submit your bank account, and the assistance is credited to it.
When you install with Solarverse, we handle steps one to six and prepare everything for step seven. You sign; we file and follow up.
The mistakes that delay or cancel the subsidy
- Non-DCR panels. The most expensive mistake. If the panels aren't DCR, the claim is rejected after the plant is built. Ask for the module model number in writing before you pay anything.
- Installing before feasibility. Putting the plant up before the DISCOM's approval can sink the claim.
- Names that don't match. The electricity connection, the applicant and the bank account should all be in the same name. If the connection is still in a parent's or a previous owner's name, sort that out first.
- Sanctioned load too low. The plant can't be bigger than the sanctioned load, so a load increase has to be approved first.
- An unregistered vendor. The installer must be registered for your DISCOM on the portal.
- An oversized DCR array. The subsidy is fixed, but every extra DCR panel costs more. Bigger homes should compare both options; see DCR vs Non-DCR.
Loans
Eligible homes can also apply for a concessional, collateral-free bank loan through the portal. We provide the proposal and documents the bank asks for.
Where to start
Send us a photo of your electricity bill. We'll confirm eligibility, the right size and the DCR module for your roof, free. The subsidy page has the scheme at a glance, and this guide helps you work out the size.
Quick answers
How much is the PM Surya Ghar subsidy in West Bengal?
Central assistance is ₹30,000 for 1 kW, ₹60,000 for 2 kW and ₹78,000 for 3 kW or more, paid to your bank account after commissioning.
Can I get the subsidy with Non-DCR panels?
No. The scheme requires DCR modules made with Indian cells.
When is the subsidy paid?
After the DISCOM has inspected the plant, installed the net meter and recorded commissioning on the portal, and you have submitted your bank details.