Previous Year Question
Consider the following statements about ‘PM Surya Ghar Muft Bijli Yojana’:
I. It targets installation of one crore solar rooftop panels in the residential sector.
II. The Ministry of New and Renewable Energy aims to impart training on installation, operation, maintenance and repairs of solar rooftop systems at grassroots levels.
III. It aims to create more than three lakh skilled manpower through fresh skilling and up-skilling, under the scheme component of capacity building.
Which of the statements given above are correct?
I and II only
I and III only
II and III only
I, II and III
Correct Answer: D
Detailed Solution
Statement I is correct. PM Surya Ghar: Muft Bijli Yojana was launched in February 2024. It targets rooftop solar installations for one crore residential households. The official objective refers to covering one crore households with rooftop solar systems, which the statement describes as the installation of one crore residential solar rooftops.
The scheme has an approved financial outlay of ₹75,021 crore and aims to enable eligible households to obtain up to 300 units of free electricity per month through solar energy.
The Central Financial Assistance for residential consumers is structured as follows:
₹30,000 per kW for the first 2 kW;
₹18,000 for the additional third kW; and
maximum assistance of ₹78,000 for systems of 3 kW or above.
Statement II is correct. Large-scale installation of rooftop solar systems requires trained personnel for their safe installation and continued operation. The Ministry of New and Renewable Energy has therefore included training in installation, operation, maintenance and repair under the scheme’s Capacity Building Component.
Statement III is correct. The Capacity Building Component aims to create more than three lakh skilled persons through fresh skilling and up-skilling. The relevant workforce can include technicians, electricians, vendors, distribution-company personnel, banking personnel and other implementation-related workers.
This serves two purposes: ensuring adequate trained manpower for installing rooftop systems across one crore households and generating local green employment.