J&K Installs Over 46,000 Rooftop Solar Units Under PM Surya Ghar Scheme

Additional Chief Secretary of the Power Development Department Ashwani Kumar said Jammu and Kashmir has completed 46,133 residential rooftop installations against the Union Territory's target of 83,500 installations by March 31, 2027.

This represents 55.24 per cent of the target, higher than the national progress of 50.80 per cent.

The figures were reviewed at a meeting chaired by Chief Secretary Atal Dulloo.

Kashmir Power Development Corporation Ltd (KPDCL) Managing Director Mehmood Ahmad Shah said 17,809 installations have been completed in areas served by the Jammu Power Distribution Corporation Ltd (JPDCL), with a combined capacity of 62.69 MW.

In KPDCL areas, 28,324 rooftop solar systems have been installed with a capacity of 102.55 MW. Together, the installations have taken Jammu and Kashmir's cumulative rooftop solar capacity to 165.24 MW.

The review meeting was also informed that beneficiaries have so far received Rs 344.14 crore in central government subsidies and Rs 13 crore in subsidy from the Union Territory administration.

Dulloo directed the Power Development Department and implementing agencies to identify and resolve bottlenecks slowing the installation process. He particularly highlighted issues related to bank financing, vendor availability and distribution, metering and the speedy execution of power purchase agreements.

The Chief Secretary also noted the high rate of rejection of bank loan applications. He directed the discoms to approach the concerned banks about all rejected applications and work to resolve the issue.

The meeting also reviewed progress on solarising government buildings in Jammu and Kashmir. Against a total capital expenditure target covering 12,994 government buildings, 8,850 have already been solarised, with a combined installed capacity of 95.64 MW.

Of these, 4,793 buildings have been covered under PM Surya Ghar and hybrid projects, accounting for 41.50 MW of capacity. Another 4,057 government buildings have been solarised under the ongoing programme, with a combined capacity of 54.14 MW.

Officials said work on the remaining projects is progressing at different stages. Materials have already been supplied to 1,300 buildings, implementation is underway at 943 sites, while surveys are being conducted for another 1,901 buildings.

The PM Surya Ghar Muft Bijli Yojana is a central government initiative that encourages residential households to install rooftop solar systems and reduce their dependence on conventional electricity.

Under the scheme, eligible households can receive up to 300 units of free electricity each month. The programme has a national target of covering one crore households, and the Union government has approved a total outlay of Rs 75,021 crore.

The scheme transfers financial assistance directly to eligible beneficiaries' bank accounts based on the capacity of the installed rooftop solar system.