State govt rolls out Centre’s PM Surya Ghar scheme

Kolkata: Home owners can now avail of a central subsidy scheme to install rooftop solar panels. The state BJP govt on Monday rolled out the Centre's PM Surya Ghar: Muft Bijli Yojana, which offers financial subsidies to domestic consumers for installing rooftop solar power systems. It is one of the several central schemes that had been kept in abeyance by the Trinamool Congress govt in the state, due to which Delhi has reportedly withheld the release of Revamped Distribution Sector Scheme funds, amounting to over Rs 2,000 crore since Aug 2024.Domestic consumers of WBSEDCL are eligible for financial benefits under the PM Surya Ghar scheme. In 2024, the Centre launched the scheme, with an investment of over Rs 75,000 crore, aiming to light up 1 crore households by providing up to 300 units of free electricity every month.So far, only domestic consumers under CESC have been receiving subsidies under the PM Surya Ghar scheme for installing grid-connected rooftop solar power systems. Although the previous state govt did not object to the scheme for CESC consumers, the benefit was not extended to WBSEDCL consumers. In response, the previous state govt launched its own subsidy scheme, Aloshree, late last year after several central grants, including RDSS, in the power sector were reportedly withheld. A fund of Rs 20 crore was allocated for the scheme, and a little over a thousand domestic consumers applied.Under both the Aloshree and PM Surya Ghar schemes, the subsidy structure remains identical. Domestic consumers receive Rs 30,000 for a 1KW rooftop solar system, Rs 60,000 for systems up to 2 KW, and Rs 78,000 for systems of 3 KW or above. Sources in the power sector said fresh applications under the Aloshree scheme were halted soon after the election results, while work has already begun to integrate WBSEDCL's system with the central scheme form.Consumers who already applied under the Aloshree scheme and whose applications remain pending have expressed concern.WBSEDCL officials, however, assured that all pending applications would automatically be shifted to the PM Surya Ghar scheme once it is formally implemented.