How much is the PM Surya Ghar subsidy in Punjab?

The same across India: ₹30,000 for a 1 kW home system, ₹60,000 for 2 kW and ₹78,000 for 3 kW or more. The ₹78,000 is a cap, so a 5 kW or 10 kW home system still receives ₹78,000. Housing societies and RWAs can claim ₹18,000 per kW for common facilities, up to 500 kW.

Is the subsidy deducted from the price?

No. You pay the full system cost first. The subsidy is credited to your bank account by direct transfer, usually 30 to 45 days after PSPCL inspects the system and the commissioning certificate is issued on the portal.

Is rooftop solar worth it in Punjab if I already get 300 free units?

Only if you use more than 300 units a month. Under that, your bill is already zero and solar has nothing to save. Above it, general-category homes pay for every unit, not just the extra ones, so bringing your net use back under 300 removes the whole bill. That makes small systems pay back very quickly for homes just over the line.

Can I get the subsidy on a hybrid or off-grid system?

On hybrid, yes — RSK's hybrid systems are grid-tied and net-metered, not disconnected from PSPCL, so they qualify for the same subsidy as on-grid. Off-grid does not qualify, because it has no grid connection at all.

Can my system be bigger than my sanctioned load?

No. In Punjab a rooftop system can be at most 100% of your sanctioned load. If you need a bigger system, apply to PSPCL for load enhancement first. Applying for a system larger than the sanctioned load is one of the most common reasons applications are rejected.

The applicant needs to own the house and hold the electricity connection in their name. A tenant usually cannot claim the subsidy; the owner can apply for the property.

Which panels qualify?

Only modules on the government’s ALMM (Approved List of Models and Manufacturers). Non-listed panels fail inspection and the subsidy is lost. Ask for the exact panel model on your quote and check it against the list before installation.

Can I finance my system?

Yes. You can approach your own bank for a solar loan — public-sector banks offer collateral-free loans at a concessional rate for home systems up to 3 kW under PM Surya Ghar. RSK can also connect you with partner financiers if you would rather not find one yourself. Either way, approval and terms depend on the financier's own criteria; we cannot guarantee approval.

Can I buy a system without applying for the subsidy?

Yes. Some customers prefer to pay one price with no application process attached. That system does not have to use ALMM-listed panels, which can in some cases bring the upfront cost below a subsidy-eligible system's price before the subsidy arrives. Ask us for pricing both ways for your specific system.

PM Surya Ghar Subsidy in Punjab (2026): Amounts, Steps, Rejections

PM Surya Ghar: Muft Bijli Yojana is the central government’s scheme for rooftop solar on homes. It pays a fixed subsidy per kW, called central financial assistance, to households that install a grid-connected system through the national portal, pmsuryaghar.gov.in. In Punjab, the distribution company that approves and inspects your system is PSPCL.

What the subsidy is worth

PM Surya Ghar subsidy for a home system
System size	Subsidy
1 kW	₹30,000
2 kW	₹60,000
3 kW	₹78,000
4 kW	₹78,000
5 kW	₹78,000
10 kW	₹78,000
Housing society or RWA, common facilities	₹18,000 per kW, up to 500 kW

₹30,000 per kW for the first 2 kW and ₹18,000 for the third, capped at ₹78,000. Source: MNRE, PM Surya Ghar central financial assistance.

The subsidy stops rising at 3 kW. Every kW above 3 is paid for in full, which is why 3 kW is the most asked-about size. It is not always the right size, though. In Punjab, the free-units rule often makes a smaller system the better buy.

You pay first. The subsidy comes later.

This is the part most people are not told. The subsidy is not a discount on your invoice. You pay the installer the full system cost. After PSPCL fits the net meter, inspects the system and the portal issues a commissioning certificate, you submit your bank details and the subsidy is credited to your account by direct transfer, typically 30–45 days later.

Plan your budget for the full amount. If you are borrowing, see the note on loans below.

Who qualifies

You are an Indian household with an electricity connection in your own name.
You own the house, and the roof is suitable: shade-free for most of the day, strong enough for the mounting structure.
The system is grid-connected with a net meter.
The panels are ALMM-listed.
The system is no larger than your sanctioned load.
You have not already received a subsidy for rooftop solar on the same connection.

How the 300 free units change the maths in Punjab

Punjab gives domestic consumers 300 free units a month (600 on a two-month bill). This changes who should buy solar, and what size.

If you use 300 units a month or less, your bill is already zero. There is nothing for solar to save, subsidy or not. We will tell you that plainly rather than sell you a system.

If you use more, the rule works in solar’s favour. A general-category home that crosses 300 units is charged for every unit it used, not just the extra ones, plus fixed charges and duty. On the FY 2026-27 tariff, a home at 320 units a month pays about ₹2,000. Our smallest on-grid system, 3 kW, brings net use under 300 and takes the bill to zero for any home up to about 600 units a month, so the right size is usually 3 kW rather than the biggest the roof can hold.

SC, BC, non-SC BPL and Freedom Fighter households pay only for units above 300, so for them the saving is the cost of the units above the line.

One detail to confirm for your connection: this assumes PSPCL counts the 300 free units against your net units after solar. We check this against real post-solar bills before we quote.

Step by step

Register on pmsuryaghar.gov.in. Choose Punjab and PSPCL, and enter the consumer number from your bill, your mobile number and email.
Apply for rooftop solar. PSPCL checks technical feasibility. Do not install before the feasibility approval.
Install with a vendor registered on the portal, using ALMM-listed panels.
Submit the plant details and apply for the net meter. Photos, panel and inverter serial numbers and installation details go on the portal.
Net meter, inspection and commissioning. PSPCL fits the bi-directional meter and inspects the system. The portal then issues the commissioning certificate.
Submit your bank details and a cancelled cheque or passbook copy. The subsidy is credited to that account.

Documents you will usually need

A recent electricity bill, with the consumer number and sanctioned load
Aadhaar card
Proof of ownership of the house
A bank account in the applicant’s name, with the passbook or a cancelled cheque
A mobile number and email address you can access during the process
Photos of the roof and, after installation, of the system

Why applications get rejected

Most rejections come from a small number of avoidable mistakes:

Panels not on the ALMM list. The inspection checks the module model. A non-listed panel means no subsidy, and there is no fixing it after installation.
System larger than the sanctioned load. If you need more capacity, get load enhancement from PSPCL first, then apply.
Bank details that do not match. The account must be in the applicant’s name and active for direct transfer. A mismatch between the name on the bill, the application and the bank account holds up the payment.
Connection or house not in the applicant’s name. If the bill is still in a late parent’s name, for example, get the connection transferred first.
Installing before feasibility approval, or with a vendor who is not registered on the portal.
Incomplete uploads. Missing photos or serial numbers stall the application at the commissioning stage.

Paying for it: financing options

You do not have to pay the full amount from savings.

Your own bank. Collateral-free solar loans at a concessional rate are available through public-sector banks for home systems up to 3 kW under the PM Surya Ghar scheme. Ask your bank for its current rate and terms.
Through RSK. We can also connect you with partner financiers for a solar loan, rather than you having to find one yourself. Ask us on WhatsApp and we will tell you which financiers we currently work with.

Either way, approval and terms depend on the financier’s own eligibility criteria — we cannot promise approval or a rate in advance. And remember: you repay the loan in full; the subsidy is credited separately into your bank account and is not netted against the loan.

Buying without the subsidy

The subsidy application adds paperwork and a wait for the bank transfer. Some customers would rather skip it and pay one price with no process attached — that is a genuine option, not a compromise.

A system bought this way is not required to use ALMM-listed panels, which in some cases brings the upfront cost below what an equivalent subsidy-eligible system costs before the subsidy is credited. Whether that works out cheaper overall depends on the exact system and panels chosen, so we do not quote a fixed saving here — ask us for a side-by-side price on your specific system, with and without the subsidy route.

Hybrid and off-grid systems

PM Surya Ghar is for grid-connected, net-metered systems. If power cuts are your main problem and you want batteries, a hybrid system still qualifies — it is grid-tied with a battery added, not disconnected from PSPCL, and RSK’s hybrid installs receive the same subsidy as on-grid. Off-grid is the one to budget for without the subsidy, because it has no grid connection at all. See on-grid vs off-grid vs hybrid for how they differ.