Chandigarh Administration mulls additional Rs 30,000 subsidy on rooftop solar plants

In a major push towards its clean energy goals, the UT Administration has planned to offer an additional subsidy of Rs 30,000 for installing rooftop solar power plants in the city.

A proposal in this regard has been submitted to the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) for approval, said a senior official.

At present, the Central Government offers a subsidy of Rs 78,000 for a 3 kW rooftop solar plant under the Pradhan Mantri Surya Ghar Yojana. The total cost of installing a 3 kW system is around Rs 1.56 lakh. With an additional Rs 30,000 rebate, residents will pay only Rs 48,000 from their own pocket, making the scheme significantly more attractive.

Officials said rooftop solar plants are currently being installed in residential areas under the PM Surya Ghar Yojana. “Every state is offering an additional rebate of Rs 30,000–40,000 over and above the Central subsidy. Since Chandigarh is a Union Territory, the administration has prepared a proposal to offer the additional discount,” officials said.

The Administration has set a target of installing solar plants on private buildings by 2026, as part of its long-term plan to make Chandigarh the country’s first carbon-free city by 2030. According to the Chandigarh Renewable Energy and Science and Technology Promotion Society (CREST), if all private residential buildings install solar units, the city can generate up to 150 MW of solar power.

A 3 kW solar plant can generate 250-300 units of electricity per month, reducing monthly household power bill and allowing consumers to sell surplus power back to the grid.

Chandigarh is among the leading solar-powered cities in the country. The administration has already achieved the target of generating solar power from all government buildings. More than 90 MW of renewable energy is being generated in the city, of which about 36 MW comes from rooftop plants installed on government offices.

Departments such as Education have reduced their electricity bill to zero and are now supplying excess power to the grid. Over the past decade, the city has cut 1,79,455 metric tonnes of carbon emissions through solar installations.

Chandigarh recently won the first prize in the Union Territory category for solar energy generation. Installation of rooftop plants has been made mandatory for houses measuring 500 sq yards and above. The city has about 43,000 residential units, and officials believe the additional subsidy will boost adoption further.

At present, installations on government residences are also being handled directly by the administration.

Applicants can apply through the CREST office, visit the portal pmsuryaghar.gov.in, or register through the PM Surya Yojana mobile application.