India’s ambitious rooftop solar dream fizzles out

Months after PM Modi’s announcement of a scheme to install 1 crore rooftop solar plants, a glitchy website and a far-from-ready backend queer the pitch.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s ambition to install solar panels atop 1 crore Indian households—announced to much fanfare in January 2024—is struggling to get off the ground.

The PM Surya Ghar Muft Bijli Yojana, officially launched in February this year to replace the previous National Rooftop Solar Programme, has been a complete disappointment so far. Three months on, prospective customers run into problems at the very first stage of applying for the installation of a rooftop solar plant. Developers and vendors, too, find it troublesome to get empanelled. Those who do manage to register fail to see any movement as project …

Author

Azman Usmani

Azman writes on climate change, ESG, and how a warming world impacts businesses and people alike. Prior to The Morning Context, he led climate coverage at BloombergQuint, where he started his career as a desk writer.

Writer

azman@mailtmc.com

Mumbai