Poonch, Oct 11 (IANS) An awareness programme under the “PM Surya Ghar: Muft Bijli Yojana” was organised on Saturday at the Government Boys Higher Secondary School in Mendhar, a border area of Jammu & Kashmir’s Poonch district.

The event aimed to inform residents about the government’s solar power initiative and encourage them to take advantage of its benefits.

During the programme, officials from the concerned departments explained that the scheme is especially beneficial for people living in rural and border areas. Eligible families are being allowed to receive free electricity through solar energy, enabling them to reduce their electricity bills while contributing to environmental conservation.

According to departmental data, approximately 50 registrations have already been completed in Mendhar and the surrounding border villages. Officials expressed optimism that the number of participants will increase significantly in the coming days as awareness spreads.

Residents praised the government for launching such a progressive scheme. Many highlighted that people in border areas frequently face issues such as power outages and high electricity bills. This scheme, they said, offers a much-needed solution and marks a major step towards self-reliance in energy.

One resident told IANS, “This scheme will send a strong and positive message to society. People here will benefit greatly from it.”

The PM Surya Ghar: Muft Bijli Yojana is the world’s largest domestic rooftop solar initiative and is reshaping India’s energy landscape. Launched by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on February 13, 2024, the scheme aims to supply solar power to one crore households by March 2027. The target is to reach over 10 lakh installations by March 2025, 20 lakh by October 2025, 40 lakh by March 2026, and finally, one crore households by March 2027.

Under the scheme, households are eligible for subsidies of up to 40 per cent, making clean and renewable energy more affordable and accessible. In just nine months, 6.3 lakh rooftop installations have been completed, with a current monthly installation rate of 70,000—ten times higher than the rate before the scheme was launched. The initiative is also expected to save the government Rs 75,000 crore annually in electricity subsidies.

The programme is empowering millions of citizens to adopt clean energy, reinforcing India’s commitment to sustainable development and green innovation.

Several states and union territories have shown outstanding progress. Chandigarh and Daman & Diu have already achieved 100 per cent of their rooftop solar targets for government buildings. States such as Rajasthan, Maharashtra, Gujarat, and Tamil Nadu are also leading in implementation. The central government is closely monitoring state-wise progress to ensure the scheme’s smooth execution and timely achievement of targets.

–IANS

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