Gujarat adds extra subsidy on up to 2 kW rooftop solar; households to pay 10% or 5%

Gujarat has announced an extra subsidy on rooftop solar systems of up to 2 kW installed under PM Surya Ghar: Muft Bijli Yojana. With this, a general category household pays 10% of the benchmark cost and an SC or ST household pays 5%.

The state Cabinet, led by Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel, approved the decision on Wednesday. State government spokesperson and minister Jitu Vaghani said it will bring rooftop solar within reach of poor, middle-class and other households. Gujarat pays the rest of the installation cost after the central support and the household share are deducted. The state expects to spend about ₹1,000 crore on the extra subsidy, which it says will cover more than 3 lakh households.

For a 1 kW system costing ₹54,000, the centre gives ₹32,400. A general category household now pays ₹5,400 and an SC or ST household pays ₹2,700. Gujarat gives ₹16,200 to general category homes and ₹18,900 to SC or ST homes. For a 2 kW system costing ₹1,07,200, the central support is ₹62,800. The household share is ₹10,720 for general category and ₹5,360 for SC or ST. The state subsidy is ₹33,600 and ₹38,960.

Gujarat leads in rooftop solar

Over 14 lakh households in Gujarat have rooftop solar systems. More than 8.5 lakh of them are under the PM Surya Ghar: Muft Bijli Yojana, which the state government says places Gujarat first in the country. Some families earn from surplus power they send to the grid.