Kishanganj, June 19 (IANS) Residents of Kishanganj in Bihar are reaping the benefits of the Pradhan Mantri Surya Ghar Muft Bijli Yojana, with some even celebrating zero electricity bills thanks to rooftop solar panels.

District Magistrate Vishal Raj, accompanied by officials from the Electricity Department, made a surprise visit to Ward No. 30 in Kishanganj city on Thursday. Braving heavy rainfall, the DM visited the home of Arhul Devi, whose family had recently installed rooftop solar panels under the central government scheme. As a token of appreciation, her husband, Upendra Chaudhary, was felicitated with a gift for becoming a model beneficiary and inspiring others.

Speaking to IANS, Upendra Chaudhary said, “I found out about the PM Surya Ghar Yojana through TV news and immediately took interest. Since installing the solar panels, not only have I received a subsidy of Rs 78,000, but our monthly electricity bill—which used to be Rs 4,000 to Rs 5,000—is now completely zero.”

His son, Santosh Chaudhary, shared further details, saying, “We installed a 5-kilowatt rooftop solar panel system in February on 150 square feet of our rooftop at a total cost of Rs 3 lakh. From March onwards, our electricity bill has been zero—we are now saving Rs 5,000 every month.”

District Magistrate Vishal Raj emphasised that the PM Surya Ghar Muft Bijli Yojana, launched on February 15, 2024, is designed to make clean energy affordable and accessible to low- and middle-income households.

“We are making special efforts to ensure this scheme reaches every corner of Kishanganj. Our goal is to provide up to 300 units of free electricity per month to each household that installs rooftop solar panels,” he said.

He added that the scheme offers generous subsidies: Rs 30,000 for a 1-kilowatt system, Rs 60,000 for 2 kilowatts, and Rs 78,000 for up to 3 kilowatts. These incentives have been a major factor in increasing adoption across the district.

“We honoured two beneficiaries today as a way to encourage more people to come forward,” Raj said.

“By participating in this initiative, families can not only reduce their power bills but also contribute to India’s larger mission of promoting renewable energy and achieving energy independence.”

The PM Surya Ghar Muft Bijli Yojana was launched by PM Modi on February 15, 2024, to promote renewable energy adoption at the household level. The scheme offers subsidies and incentives to encourage citizens to install rooftop solar panels, helping reduce electricity costs and contributing to India’s sustainable energy goals.

–IANS

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