The Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE) is enhancing the number of rooftop solar vendors under the PM Surya Ghar: Muft Bijli Yojana from 8,000 to 25,000.

The government has sought to exploit the untapped market potential in the northeastern states and Union Territories, in addition to the existing high-growth states like Gujarat, Maharashtra, Uttar Pradesh, Kerala, and Tamil Nadu.

The PM Surya Ghar program aims to install rooftop solar systems in 10 million households by March 2027. The Central Financial Assistance under the program is up to ₹78,000 (~$927.94) per household.

The government estimates the market size under the program at ₹1,450 billion (~$17.4 billion)based on a benchmark cost for 10 million rooftop solar systems of 3 kW.

The MNRE has launched an Expression of Interest inviting individuals, firms, and companies to learn about the process of becoming registered vendors under the program.

REC Limited is the program’s lead implementing agency. REC’s Vendor Management Division supports vendors through weekly interactions, dedicated email support, and capacity-building programs.

Interested individuals, firms, and vendors will be guided through the process of registering on the National Portal. They can also participate in MNRE-supported capacity-building programs.

The vendors play a pivotal role in the entire lifecycle of rooftop solar installations, from system design and component supply to installation, commissioning, and five-year comprehensive maintenance.

In May, MNRE announced new guidelines for vendor registration under the rooftop solar program. As per the guidelines, vendors must register on the National Portal to be eligible to install rooftop solar projects.

The ministry also introduced provisions for including brand owners and channel partners in vendor registration to accelerate rooftop solar installations. Brand owners and entities must submit a request to REC Limited. Similarly, vendors can request to be identified as the owner’s channel partner on the national portal. A channel partner can work under multiple brand owners.