Maharashtra launches SMART Solar scheme with up to 95% rooftop subsidy

Maharashtra has rolled out the Swayampurna Maharashtra Residential Roof Top (SMART) Solar Scheme to help low-income households cut their electricity bills. The program focuses on Below Poverty Line (BPL), Scheduled Caste (SC), and Scheduled Tribe (ST) families, while encouraging rooftop solar adoption across the state.

Under the scheme, households using less than 100 units a month can install a 1KW solar system, which produces about 120 units monthly. The total cost is around Rs 50,000. The central government provides Rs 30,000, and the state adds Rs 17,500 for BPL households, covering 95% of the cost. SC and ST households get Rs 45,000 (90%), paying just Rs 5,000. Other low-consumption families receive Rs 40,000 (80%), contributing Rs 10,000.

The state has set aside Rs 330 crore for FY 2025–26 and Rs 325 crore for 2026–27. MSEDCL will run the program, and beneficiaries can sell extra electricity back to the grid. Around five lakh households are expected to benefit in the first phase, with priority for remote areas like Melghat, Nandurbar, and Gadchiroli. Suppliers must maintain the systems for five years.