Parliament Question: Off-grid Solar Solutions

GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF NEW AND RENEWABLE ENERGY LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 1663 ANSWERED ON 29.07.2026s OFF-GRID SOLAR SOLUTIONS

1663. SHRI ARUN BHARTI

Will the Minister of NEW AND RENEWABLE ENERGY be pleased to state:

(a) the steps taken by the Government to electrify the remote forest villages using off-grid solar solutions;

(b) the measures taken by the Government to provide low-interest loans for the adoption of solar appliances;

(c) the status of the Solar Street Light project in the rural areas of the Jamui district of Bihar;

(d) the collaboration with the local panchayats for the management of renewable energy assets; and

(e) the strategy to reduce the dependency on grid-based power through renewable sources? ANSWER THE MINISTER OF STATE FOR NEW & RENEWABLE ENERGY AND POWER (SHRI SHRIPAD YESSO NAIK)

(a) Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE) is implementing the New Solar Power Scheme (for PVTG and Tribal Habitations/Villages) under Pradhan Mantri Janjati Adivasi Nyaya Maha Abhiyan (PM-JANMAN) and Dharti Aaba Janjatiya Gram Utkarsh Abhiyan

(DAJGUA) for the electrification of un-electrified households in PVTG and Tribal habitations/villages, solarisation of Multi-Purpose Centres (MPCs) in PVTG areas and solarisation of public institutions in identified tribal habitations/villages through off-grid solar systems; where grid connectivity is not techno- economically feasible. There is no specific scheme for remote forest villages using off-grid Solar solutions.

(b) Under the PM Surya Ghar: Muft Bijli Yojana, residential consumers are eligible to avail loans from nationalized banks for installation of rooftop solar systems. Such loans are available at a concessional interest rate of Repo Rate + 50 basis points (currently 5.75% per annum), with a repayment tenure of up to 10 years, thereby making rooftop solar systems more affordable and accessible. Further, all the components of the PM-KUSUM scheme are included under Agriculture Infrastructure Fund (AIF) which allows access to low-cost financing to farmers.

Besides, Indian Renewable Energy Development Agency Limited also offers wide range of financing schemes for utility-scale solar projects, rooftop solar systems, large-scale grid-connected rooftop installations, wind-solar hybrid projects, floating solar projects, and projects under the PM-KUSUM Scheme.

(c) As per inputs received from Bihar Renewable Energy Development Agency, under Mukhyamantri Gramin Solar Street Light Yojna (MGSSY) 20,413 Solar Street Lights have been installed in rural areas of the Jamui district. Further, as reported by Energy Efficiency Services Limited, under the Atal Jyoti Yojana (AJAY) Phase I and II, 1516 Nos. of Solar Street Lighting Systems have been installed in Jamui district of Bihar.

(d) The PM Surya Ghar: Muft Bijli Yojana provides incentives to Urban Local Bodies (ULBs) and Panchayati Raj Institutions (PRIs) to encourage and facilitate the adoption of rooftop solar systems within their respective jurisdictions.

The Government is strengthening local capacity for management of renewable energy assets

through the Capacity Building component of PM Surya Ghar: Muft Bijli Yojana, under which around one lakh Solar Technicians, Solar Helpers and Solar Didis have been trained, many from local communities including Gram Panchayats. Further, under the Model Solar Village initiative, one village in each district is being supported with CFA of ₹1 crore for solarisation of community assets, with Gram Panchayats playing a key role in their operation, maintenance and community ownership.

Further the Component-A of the PM KUSUM scheme allows that the solar power plant can be installed by the farmers on their own land either directly by themselves or in partnership with group of farmers/ cooperatives/ panchayats/ Farmer Producer Organisations (FPO)/Water User associations (WUA), or through a developer.

(e) The Government has taken several steps and initiatives to promote and accelerate renewable energy capacity in the country to realize the commitment of 500 GW non-fossil energy capacity by 2030.

As a result of these initiatives, India has already achieved one of its major COP26 Panchamrit goals — to have 50 % of installed electric power capacity from non-fossil fuel sources by 2030 — five years early. A total of 288.58 GW renewable energy capacity has been installed in the country as on 30.06.2026, which includes 162.15 GW solar power, 57.44 GW wind power,

57.24 GW hydro power and 11.75 GW bio power. ******