Minister of State Shripad New and Renewable Energy (MNRE) told the Lok Sabha, the lower house of the Indian Parliament, that as of March 20, 2026, more than 2.62 million rooftop solar systems had been deployed across the country, benefiting about 3.24 million households, since the scheme was launched in 2024.
The Prime Minister’s Solar House Free Power Scheme” is a flagship central sector scheme launched by the Government of India in February 2024 to install rooftop solar systems for 10 million homes across the country.
The plan is expected to generate 1000 billion units of renewable electricity. In addition, the government estimates that as the deployment accelerates, up to 1.7 million jobs can be created.
Since the program was launched in 2024, challenges such as high upfront costs, maintenance needs, limited awareness (especially in rural areas), net metering and regulatory barriers, quality concerns, and bureaucratic barriers in the application process have persisted despite subsidies.
In response, the government has taken key regulatory measures to encourage the adoption of rooftop solar, including now managing subsidy applications, approvals and disbursements through a national portal that allows funds to be transferred directly to household consumers.
The application process has also been simplified, eliminating technical feasibility requirements and allowing automatic load enhancement to 10 kW. Net metering agreements have been integrated into the application process to further reduce delays.
To improve access to financing, state-owned banks are offering unsecured loans at preferential interest rates, currently set at the repo rate plus 50 basis points (about 5.75 per cent per annum), for up to 10 years. The policy framework has also been expanded to include renewable energy service companies (RESCO) and utility-led aggregation (ULA) models, while simplifying the supplier registration process to ensure more qualified installers.
In addition to regulatory and financial measures, the government is also investing in ecosystem building. Capacity-building and training programmes are under way to develop a skilled workforce, supported by nationwide print, television and radio campaigns. Progress is closely monitored through regular contacts with the states and distribution companies (DISCOMs), including regular regional review meetings.
According to India’s Ministry of New and Renewable Energy, as of February 2026, Gujarat had the highest installed capacity of rooftop solar at 6.67GW, followed by Maharashtra at 5.22GW and Rajasthan at 2.07GW. At the other end, only 0.21MW was installed in Meghalaya, 1MW in Nagaland and 1.6MW in the Federal Dependencies of Laksha Islands.
