Suvendu Adhikari Launches PM Surya Ghar in Bengal

The Central Government's flagship PM Surya Ghar: Muft Bijli Yojana has officially been launched in West Bengal under the state's new administration. Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari inaugurated the scheme from Nabanna on Tuesday, announcing that 1,800 families have already benefited in the first phase.
Speaking at the launch event, the Chief Minister said the state government is working to expand the scheme rapidly so that thousands more households can receive rooftop solar installations and financial assistance in the coming months.

He alleged that due to a lack of coordination between the Centre and the previous state administration, many eligible families were unable to access the scheme. According to him, administrative bottlenecks have now been resolved, allowing for the smooth implementation of the Centre's flagship solar initiative in West Bengal.

Launched nationwide in 2024, the PM Surya Ghar: Muft Bijli Yojana aims to reduce household electricity bills while promoting clean and renewable energy. Under the scheme, eligible households can install rooftop solar panels, receive subsidies through Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT), and avail themselves of up to 300 units of free electricity every month.

Earlier in June, Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari had encouraged citizens to apply for the programme during a public event in Nandigram. Following the appeal, applications were accepted through both online and offline modes. Within a month, rooftop solar panels were installed for the first batch of 1,800 beneficiaries, with subsidy amounts credited directly to their bank accounts.

During the inauguration, the Chief Minister interacted with beneficiaries via video conference. Several beneficiaries said their applications had remained pending earlier but were processed quickly after reapplying online, with the approved subsidy transferred directly to their bank accounts.

Under the scheme, the Central Government provides a subsidy of ₹30,000 for a 1 kW rooftop solar system, ₹60,000 for a 2 kW system, and up to ₹78,000 for installations of up to 3 kW. The subsidy is transferred directly to beneficiaries through the DBT mechanism.