The Hindu
As part of a renewed thrust to increase adoption of household rooftop solar systems (h-RTS) via the Pradhan Mantri Suryoday Yojana, the Centre will effectively bear the entire cost of setting up such systems for households that consume less than 300 units of electricity per month. This could potentially cost at least ₹1 lakh crore and in a departure from the existing approach to h-RTS, it will see central government companies – as opposed to the current set up of individual state-run power distribution companies – taking on the responsibility of powering beneficiary households.
Finance Minister, Nirmala Sitharaman in her Budget Speech on Thursday said that one crore households will be enabled to obtain up to 300 units free electricity every month which would translate to benefits of ₹15,000-18,000 annually for households. Prime Minister, Narendra Modi, announced the scheme following the consecration ceremony at Ayodhya last month.
