Under the $9.04 billion invested PM Surya Ghar: Muft Bijli Yojana rooftop solar programme, the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE) has announced new guidelines for vendor registration. The scheme aims to increase residential rooftop solar capacity and empower households to generate their own electricity until the financial year 2026?27. The rules state that vendors must register on the National Portal to be eligible to install rooftop solar projects under the program. Previously registered under the Grid-Connected Rooftop System (GCRT) Phase II, vendors will automatically be considered registered for the new PM Surya Ghar programme.

The Ministry has appointed REC Limited as the national registering authority and stated that for registration purposes, the vendors will submit a performance bank guarantee (PBG) of $30,000, which will be valid for at least five years. The aim of the registration is to record the installed rooftop solar systems in India, and the same can be displayed in the consumer search list.

State-level regulations stipulate that vendors registered under the GCRT Phase II programme shall remain registered. Vendors must apply to the relevant distribution firm or the appropriate state agency, along with a $3,000 bank guarantee. The ability to collect a single PBG of $3,000 from vendors for the whole state has been granted to state officials. Vendor registrations will be valid for the next five years, after which they may be extended for a further five years at no cost.

Commenced in January, the programme's goal is to reduce households' power costs while promoting India's energy independence. Regarding the draft rules for executing the PM-Surya Ghar: Muft Bijli Yojana in the residential rooftop solar segment, the MNRE has requested views and ideas from different stakeholders.