For households in Meerut and the surrounding parts of western Uttar Pradesh who are tired of paying ever-rising electricity bills, there is now a clear way out. Through the government's PM Surya Ghar Muft Bijli Yojana, residents can fit a solar power connection on their rooftop and bring their monthly bill down to almost zero. Applications for the scheme are currently being accepted at a brisk pace.
District project in-charge Pramod Bhushan Sharma shared several key details, explaining that interested consumers can apply by filling out a form online from home. He clarified one important rule: the solar connection you install can only match the kilowatt capacity of the government electricity connection already active in your house.
Both the central and UP governments are chipping in
The biggest draw of the scheme is the heavy subsidy jointly offered by the central and Uttar Pradesh governments, with the money credited straight into the beneficiary's bank account. The amount of support depends on the size of the connection.
- 1 kilowatt connection: ₹30,000 from the central government and ₹15,000 from the UP government, a total discount of ₹45,000.
- 2 kilowatt connection: ₹60,000 from the centre and ₹30,000 from the state, adding up to a ₹90,000 subsidy.
- 3 kilowatt or higher connection: ₹78,000 from the central government and ₹30,000 from the UP government, giving the consumer a hefty total subsidy of ₹1,08,000.
According to Sharma, setting up a 3 kilowatt connection costs roughly ₹2 lakh, but the government covers more than half of that amount itself, which sharply reduces the burden on the household.
The panel fits in a small rooftop space
Many people worry that installing solar panels might need a lot of land or space. The project in-charge put that fear to rest, saying there is no reason to be anxious because the panel fits comfortably on a home's rooftop. Once it is in place, the fridge, AC, cooler and fan keep running just as before, except there is no electricity bill to pay.
Free electricity for 25 years, with a loan option for tight budgets
Officials say the solar panels installed under this scheme have a working life of around 25 years. In other words, once you set it up, you can use free electricity without any bill for the next 25 years. Those who cannot afford the upfront cost need not worry either, because the government has arranged easy-instalment loans through banks so that as many families as possible can benefit from the scheme.
