PM Surya Ghar Subsidy: The Complete Process for UP Homeowners

PM Surya Ghar Muft Bijli Yojana is the central government's rooftop solar subsidy scheme, launched to help households install grid-connected solar systems at a fraction of the market cost. In Uttar Pradesh, this central subsidy is combined with a separate state-level top-up from UPNEDA (Uttar Pradesh New and Renewable Energy Development Agency) — which is what makes the total benefit for UP residents higher than in many other states. This guide walks through who qualifies, exactly how much you get, and what the process looks like step by step.

Who is eligible

The scheme is for residential rooftop solar connections. To qualify you generally need: a house with a valid electricity connection in your own name, roof space that gets reasonable direct sunlight without heavy shading, and the ability to install a grid-connected (on-grid) system with net metering through your local DISCOM. Commercial, office and factory connections are not eligible for this particular subsidy — though they still benefit enormously from solar, just without the subsidy layer (we cover this in our system sizing guide).

How much subsidy do you actually get

The subsidy is calculated per kilowatt (kW) of system size, with two layers stacked on top of each other:

• Central subsidy (PM Surya Ghar): ₹30,000 per kW for the first 2kW, and ₹18,000 for the 3rd kW, capped at ₹78,000 total. So a 1kW system gets ₹30,000, a 2kW system gets ₹60,000, and a 3kW-or-larger system gets the full ₹78,000.
• UP state top-up (UPNEDA): An additional ₹15,000 per kW, capped at ₹30,000 per household — so this maxes out at 2kW and beyond.

Combined, a residential system of 3kW or more can receive up to roughly ₹1,08,000 in total subsidy, subject to current UPNEDA budget allocation (state-level budgets are reviewed periodically, so it's worth confirming the current figure at the time you apply — we check this for every customer before quoting).

The step-by-step process

1. Portal registration. You (or your installer, on your behalf) register on the national PM Surya Ghar portal with your electricity consumer number, DISCOM name, and state.
2. DISCOM feasibility approval. Your local distribution company (in Gorakhpur, this is typically the relevant UPPCL circle) checks that your connection and sanctioned load can support a rooftop solar installation and net metering.
3. Choose an empanelled vendor. Installation must be done by a vendor registered on the official state-wise empanelled list — this is what keeps the installation eligible for subsidy. You can verify any vendor's empanelment on the official registered vendor list.
4. Installation. The system is installed and wired, matched to the sanctioned system size that was approved.
5. Net metering application & inspection. Once installed, a net meter application is filed with your DISCOM, followed by a technical inspection to confirm safe, correct installation.
6. Commissioning certificate. After the net meter is installed and inspection is cleared, you receive a commissioning certificate — this is the trigger point for subsidy disbursement.
7. Subsidy disbursement. The subsidy amount (central + state, where applicable) is credited directly to your registered bank account, usually within a few weeks of commissioning, though timelines can vary by DISCOM workload.

Documents you'll typically need

Electricity bill / consumer number, proof of ownership or occupancy of the property, a cancelled cheque or bank passbook copy for the subsidy payout, and Aadhaar for identity verification. Your installer should guide you through the exact document list at the time of registration, since requirements are occasionally refined by the portal.

Where the process usually gets delayed

In our experience handling this process for customers across Gorakhpur, the two most common bottlenecks are DISCOM feasibility approval (queue times vary by circle and season) and net metering inspection scheduling. Neither is something you can meaningfully speed up on your own — but choosing an installer who follows up proactively with the DISCOM, rather than just filing paperwork and waiting, makes a real difference to how long the whole process takes.