PM Surya Ghar To Employ 1 Lakh Individuals, Ministries Begin Skilling Programme For Rooftop Solar Project

The Union government is preparing to train a workforce of 1 lakh skilled in installing and managing solar panels to support its initiative to help 1 crore homes transition to solar energy, as per a report by The Economic Times.

The ministries of renewable energy and skill development and entrepreneurship have collaboratively devised a "skilling plan" for the 'PM Surya Ghar: Muft Bijli Yojana', a government rooftop solar project aimed at enabling households to generate 300 units of electricity through grid-connected solar panels.

Launched in February this year, the scheme provides subsidies of up to Rs 78,000 to individuals interested in installing solar power-generating units.

"The number of individuals to be trained could be increased as per requirement," one source stated.

Additionally, state-owned REC Ltd, the nodal agency for the revamped rooftop solar programme, is expected to partner with institutions like the National Power Training Institute and the National Skill Development Corporation for this purpose.

In addition to trained workers, a significant challenge for the programme's implementation would be the need for a large number of vendors. The Ministry of Renewable Energy recently transitioned to a new portal and will soon commence the national vendor registration process.

The 'PM Surya Ghar: Muft Bijli Yojana', with an outlay of Rs 75,021 crore, is set to be implemented through power distribution companies and vendors, offering rationalised subsidies and collateral-free loans.

Within a month of its launch, registrations under the scheme exceeded 1 crore, with nearly 8 lakh applicants requesting for installations.