Patna: The Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE) has reviewed the implementation of two of India’s flagship solar programmes in Bihar, with officials reporting that more than 14,000 rooftop solar installations have already been completed across the state.
The review meeting, held on Thursday at Vidyut Bhawan in Patna, was chaired by Mir Mohammad Ali, director at the MNRE, and focused on the progress of the PM Surya Ghar Muft Bijli Yojana and the PM Kusum Yojana.
Addressing the meeting, Ali said rising consumer participation indicated growing public awareness and confidence in renewable energy. He stressed that closer coordination between central and state governments, power distribution companies, banks and vendors was essential to meeting scheme targets on time and maintaining quality standards.
Senior officials from Bihar’s power distribution companies and representatives of banking institutions were also present.
Under the PM Surya Ghar scheme, domestic consumers are eligible for government subsidies to install grid-connected rooftop solar systems. The subsidy structure provides Rs. 30,000 per kilowatt for systems between one and two kilowatts, while installations of three kilowatts or more receive a maximum subsidy of Rs. 78,000. Consumers can also access loans at an interest rate of 5.75% for rooftop solar installations.
Concerns were raised over delays in loan approvals and the release of the second instalment of subsidies. The MNRE director instructed banks to streamline application processes and reduce rejection rates, warning that procedural hurdles were undermining the schemes’ effectiveness.
According to Rahul Kumar, managing director of North Bihar Power Distribution Company Limited, rooftop solar panels have been installed in 9,885 homes in south Bihar and 4,715 homes in north Bihar. He said several consumer-friendly measures had been introduced, including the waiver of technical feasibility fees for systems up to 10 kilowatts, automatic load enhancement and free net metering.
Mahendra Kumar, managing director of South Bihar Power Distribution Company Limited, said the schemes were helping accelerate Bihar’s transition to clean energy while also delivering economic benefits to households through lower electricity bills.
The PM Surya Ghar and PM Kusum schemes are part of India’s broader push to expand renewable energy capacity and reduce dependence on fossil fuels, with the government positioning them as key tools in the country’s transition towards cleaner and more self-reliant energy systems.
