Mumbai: The Maharashtra government has launched a major rooftop solar subsidy scheme to help poor and low electricity-using households. The state will give a 90 percent to 95 percent subsidy to eligible
consumers to install rooftop solar panels. The aim is to help these families reduce their power bills to almost zero by using solar energy.
Who Will Benefit from the Scheme
The new scheme, named the Swayampurna Maharashtra Residential Roof Top (SMART) Solar Scheme, is mainly for Below Poverty Line (BPL), Scheduled Caste (SC), and Scheduled Tribe (ST) consumers who use less than 100 units of electricity per month. These families will only have to pay a small part of the cost, while the rest will be covered by the state and central governments.
For example, a 1KW solar system costs around Rs 50,000. The central government will give Rs 30,000, and the state will add Rs 17,500 for BPL households. That means the consumer only pays Rs 2,500. For SC/ST consumers, the subsidy will be Rs 45,000, and they will pay Rs 5,000. Even for other users below 100 units (not BPL/SC/ST), the subsidy is Rs 40,000, and they pay just Rs 10,000.
Budget and Implementation Plans
The state has allocated Rs 330 crore for 2025–26 and Rs 325 crore for 2026–27 to support the scheme. It will be implemented by MSEDCL, Maharashtra’s power distribution company, and funded through the state’s budget.
The government believes this scheme can benefit at least 5 lakh families, including 1.5 lakh BPL users and 3.5 lakh other low-usage households. After installation, the supplier will handle maintenance for five years.
Priority for Remote and Needy Areas
Special focus will be given to remote and tribal areas such as Melghat, Nandurbar, and Gadchiroli, where access to affordable electricity is still a big issue. The government hopes this move will not only provide cheap power but also help these families earn extra income by selling unused solar energy back to the grid.
