The PM Surya Ghar subsidy in Karnataka
Up to ₹78,000 towards a household rooftop system, paid into your bank account after the installation passes inspection. Here is exactly how much, who qualifies, and what the process looks like on this coast.
The short answer
- ₹30,000 per kW for the first 2 kW, ₹18,000 for the third kW, and nothing above that — so the subsidy stops at ₹78,000, which a 3 kW system already reaches.
- Residential connections only, and the electricity connection must be in your own name.
- The panels must be DCR (made-in-India cells and modules) and the installer must be registered on the national portal. Miss either and there is no subsidy.
- It is reimbursed after commissioning, not deducted from the installer's bill. You pay the full amount first.
How much you actually get
The subsidy is capped, so a bigger system does not bring a bigger cheque — it only spreads the same ₹78,000 across more capacity.
| System | Subsidy | Typical cost incl. GST | You pay | Subsidy covers |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 kW | ₹30,000 | ₹70,785 | ₹40,785 | 42% |
| 2 kW | ₹60,000 | ₹1,41,570 | ₹81,570 | 42% |
| 3 kW best value | ₹78,000 | ₹2,12,355 | ₹1,34,355 | 37% |
| 5 kW | ₹78,000 | ₹3,26,700 | ₹2,48,700 | 24% |
| 10 kW | ₹78,000 | ₹6,53,400 | ₹5,75,400 | 12% |
Costs are current coastal turnkey rates including GST — your quotes will vary. Size it against your own bill →
Do you qualify?
Yes, if
- ✓ You are a residential electricity consumer
- ✓ The connection is in your name
- ✓ You own the roof, or have the owner's consent
- ✓ The roof has shadow-free space — roughly 100 sq ft per kW
- ✓ You are willing to go grid-connected with a net meter
No, if
- ✗ It is a commercial, industrial or agricultural connection
- ✗ The system is off-grid or battery-only with no net metering
- ✗ The panels are not DCR
- ✗ The installer is not registered on the national portal
- ✗ You installed first and applied afterwards
Housing societies and RWAs have a separate route for common-area supply — ₹18,000 per kW, up to 500 kW. Farms are covered by PM-KUSUM instead, and businesses claim accelerated depreciation rather than a subsidy; both are on the schemes page.
How to apply, step by step
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1
Register on the national portal
At pmsuryaghar.gov.in, with your state, your DISCOM and the consumer number from your electricity bill. The connection must be in the name of the person claiming the subsidy — this is where most households get stuck, when the meter is still in a parent's name.
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2
Apply for feasibility approval
Your DISCOM checks that the connection and the local transformer can take a rooftop system. Nothing should be bought or installed until this clears.
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3
Pick a registered vendor
The installer must be registered on the national portal, and the panels must be DCR — cells and modules made in India. Both conditions are on the subsidy, not the installation: a cheaper non-DCR system is not eligible, however good the equipment.
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4
Install and submit the plant details
Once commissioned, the plant details and the net-meter application go in through the portal.
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5
Net meter and inspection
The DISCOM fits the bidirectional meter and inspects the installation. A commissioning certificate is generated on the portal when it passes.
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6
Submit bank details for the subsidy
Account details and a cancelled cheque go in after commissioning. The subsidy is credited to that account — the portal states within 30 days, though in practice allow longer.
Applications are made at pmsuryaghar.gov.in, the only official channel. Nobody needs to be paid to file it for you — though many installers will, as part of their scope.
Which DISCOM is yours?
The portal asks for this at registration, and coastal Karnataka is not all one utility — a detail most national guides get wrong.
Udupi and Dakshina Kannada — Udupi, Manipal, Kundapura, Karkala, Mangaluru, Puttur, Moodabidri.
Uttara Kannada — Karwar, Kumta, Honnavar, Bhatkal, Sirsi.
Both fit the bidirectional meter and both inspect before commissioning. Net metering means the units you export run your meter backwards against the units you import; at the residential tariff of about ₹8 a unit, a 4-unit-per-kW-per-day coastal average is what makes the payback work.
Where it goes wrong
- Installing before feasibility approval. The commonest and costliest mistake — the subsidy follows the application, not the panels.
- Non-DCR panels at a tempting price. Imported modules are often cheaper per watt and disqualify the whole claim. Ask for the DCR declaration in writing, on the quote.
- The connection in someone else's name. Transfer it before applying; it takes longer than you expect.
- Assuming the subsidy is deducted upfront. Arrange the full amount; the reimbursement comes after commissioning.
- Nobody named as responsible for the paperwork. Settle in the quote whether the installer files the subsidy and the net-meter application, or you do.
Frequently asked
Do I have to use a registered vendor?
Yes — the PM Surya Ghar subsidy is only paid for installations by vendors empanelled on the national portal.
How long does the subsidy take to arrive?
Typically within 30 days of commissioning and inspection, straight to your bank account.
Does battery storage get a subsidy?
No — the central subsidy covers the grid-connected PV system only. Batteries are your own cost.
Can tenants apply?
The electricity connection and roof need to be in the applicant's name — tenants need the owner to apply.
What a system costs near you
Ready to see real numbers for your roof?
One request reaches the registered installers near you. Quotes come back structured, so you can compare them side by side.
Get quotes →Scheme rates as configured for this site and current at the time of writing. The scheme's own terms can change — check pmsuryaghar.gov.in before you commit money, and treat this page as a guide rather than as the rules themselves.