13,677 Applications Approved Under PM Surya Ghar Muft Bijli Yojana in Pune Circle; Government Urges Citizens to Benefit from Scheme

Pune, 20th September 2024: A total of 13,677 applications from household electricity consumers have been approved under the Pune circle for the PM Surya Ghar Muft Bijli Yojana, which promises to provide free electricity for approximately 25 years to households and residential complexes. Of these, 1,391 solar projects have been implemented in Pune city, 771 in Pimpri Chinchwad, and 586 in Mulshi, Velhe, Haveli, Ambegaon, Junnar, Khed, and Maval talukas.

Rajendra Pawar, Chief Engineer, stated that under the PM Surya Ghar Muft Bijli Yojana, which offers free electricity up to 360 units per month for household electricity consumers, 2,748 rooftop solar power projects with a combined capacity of 13.73 MW have been commissioned in the Pune circle. As a result, the monthly electricity bills for the relevant consumers have been reduced to zero. Additionally, 460 more rooftop solar projects are progressing rapidly.

The scheme enables households to generate between 120 to 360 units of free electricity per month through rooftop solar power systems with capacities ranging from one to three kW. Loan facilities are also available from various banks at discounted interest rates to support the setup of these solar projects.

Deputy Chief Minister and Energy Minister Devendra Fadnavis has recommended the implementation of this scheme. In line with this, Maharashtra State Electricity Distribution Company Limited (MSEDCL) is providing automatic approval for applications up to 10 kW, along with solar net meters. So far, 13,677 applications have been approved in the Pune circle.

Chief Engineer Rajendra Pawar has appealed to domestic consumers to participate in the scheme in greater numbers. Any excess electricity generated from the solar projects will be purchased by MSEDCL, and the corresponding amount will be adjusted in the customer’s electricity bill.

For rooftop solar power projects, domestic consumers are receiving direct subsidies: Rs 30,000 for one kilowatt, Rs 60,000 for two kilowatts, and a maximum of Rs 78,000 for three kilowatts and above. Additionally, housing associations and complexes can benefit from subsidies for electric vehicle charging stations, with up to Rs 18,000 per kW available for a maximum of Rs 90 lakh for projects up to 500 kW, intended for communal use.