Gujarat, Maharashtra, and Uttar Pradesh have emerged as the top three states with the highest number of rooftop solar installations under the PM Surya Ghar Muft Bijli Yojana. Launched by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on February 15, 2024, the scheme aims to install rooftop solar power in 10 million households by March 2027. Installation milestones include 1 million units by March 2025, 2 million by October 2025, and 4 million by March 2026. The initiative, which is set to become the world’s largest domestic rooftop solar program, seeks to provide free electricity through rooftop solar panels. As of December 9, 2024, over 679,000 installations have been completed, with more than 538,000 residential units and around 141,000 homes in residential welfare associations benefiting. Six states account for 88% of the total installations, with Gujarat leading at over 302,000 installations, followed by Maharashtra at 139,000, and Uttar Pradesh with more than 56,000 installations. Kerala, Tamil Nadu, and Rajasthan also contribute significantly, with over 55,000, 21,000, and 20,000 installations, respectively. The PM Surya Ghar scheme provides households with up to 40% subsidy and offers access to low-interest loans for installing rooftop solar systems. The scheme aims to add 30 GW of solar capacity through residential installations and save the government Rs 750 billion annually in electricity costs. Over its 25-year lifespan, these rooftop systems are expected to generate 1,000 billion units of electricity and reduce CO2 emissions by 720 million tonnes, contributing significantly to India's renewable energy goals. (Business Line)