Nagaland launches rooftop solar mission under PM Surya Ghar scheme
Morung Express News
Dimapur | April 14
The Nagaland State Government has announced that it will provide an additional subsidy of up to Rs 50,000 for rooftop solar installations up to 3 kilowatts (kW), supplementing the central subsidy available under the PMSG:MBY scheme. The financial support will be provided through budgetary provisions.
This means that people in Nagaland can avail the benefit of the Rs 50,000 subsidy along with an existing 60% or 40% central subsidy on rooftop solar panel installation under the PMSG:MBY scheme. The cost effectiveness of this is more than substantial.
The recent state government subsidy was announced by the Nagaland Chief Minister as he officially launched the Nagaland Solar Mission for installation of residential Rooftop Solar (RTS) units on April 14, in convergence with the Prime Minister Surya Ghar: Muft Bijli Yojana (PMSG:MBY).
Speaking at the launch, Chief Minister Rio said the initiative marked a significant step toward addressing the state's persistent power deficits. “Nagaland Government has taken major step to address power deficits faced across the state by launching the solar mission,” Rio said.
“To further support the green energy revolution the State Government has decided to support this initiative through an additional State subsidy of upto Rs 50,000 for upto 3Kw provided through budgetary support,” Rio stated. He noted that the combined subsidy from the Central and State Governments would cover most of the cost of solar panel installation for households.
Rio also highlighted the dual benefit of the rooftop solar scheme, pointing out that in addition to cleaner energy and reduced dependence on fossil fuels, households will also enjoy lower electricity bills by feeding surplus power back into the grid. “Besides installation, the power produced and supplied to the grid will enable households to reduce the electricity bills as well,” he said. “I urge the citizens of Nagaland to avail this opportunity and reap the benefits of transition to sustainable solar power production.”
Minister KG Kenye, delivering a short speech at the event, welcomed the convergence of national and state efforts to make clean energy accessible for all. He stressed that affordability and participation are critical for the success of the programme. “With the additional State subsidy provided by the Government, the access to rooftop solar installation will be affordable and thus anticipates a positive response and contribution of the public to achieve the objective of Nagaland’s green energy revolution,” Kenye said.
Kenye further expressed confidence that the initiative would contribute to alleviating the chronic electricity shortages that have plagued the state for years. “Through this initiative the chronic power shortages in the state will mitigate to a large extent and usher in the required social economic development for the citizens of Nagaland,” he added.
An overview of the project was presented by Secretary of the Power Department, Asangla Imti, IAS. This was followed by a PowerPoint presentation by department officials, outlining the framework and implementation mechanism of the solar mission.
The launch event was attended by a host of dignitaries including Deputy Chief Minister Y Patton, Chief Secretary Dr J Alam, IAS, Home Commissioner Vyasan R, IAS, along with Additional Heads of Departments (AHoDs) and senior officials from the Power Department.
The department further informed that 247 applications have already been received online to avail of the rooftop solar installation scheme. To ensure seamless implementation, 55 national and state-certified vendors are currently available in Nagaland to handle installations and provide technical support.
All eligible consumers and prospective beneficiaries are encouraged to visit the website www.pmsuryaghar.gov.in or contact the helpline at +91-9366911176 or +91-7641007201 for more information and to apply under the scheme.
Existing central subsidy
The PM Surya Ghar Muft Bijli Yojana empowers households to adopt rooftop solar, providing subsidies of up to 60% for systems up to 2 kW and 40% for 2-3 kW systems, with benefits capped at 3 kW. It aims to significantly cut household electricity expenses by up to Rs 15,000 annually for those consuming up to 300 units per month, with additional income from surplus power.
