Balod (Chhattisgarh), March 20 : Amid rising electricity bills and growing concerns over environmental protection, the PM Surya Ghar Muft Bijli Yojana is emerging as a major source of relief and savings for people in Chhattisgarhâ??s Balod district. By installing rooftop solar systems under the scheme, consumers are not only reducing their electricity bills to almost zero but are also generating surplus power.

Beneficiaries who installed solar systems under the scheme shared their experiences, saying that it has proved beneficial both economically and environmentally.

Ishwar Sahu, a beneficiary of the scheme, said that before installing the solar system, his household electricity bill used to range between Rs 1,000 and Rs 1,200 every month.

â??When I came to know about the PM Surya Ghar Bijli Yojana, I decided to get a solar system installed at my house. After installation, my electricity bill has almost become zero,â?? he told IANS.

He said the installation did not require any advance payment from him as the entire amount was financed by a bank, which he is now repaying in instalments. Sahu added that he received a subsidy of Rs 1.08 lakh within a month under the scheme.

Another beneficiary, Manish Kothari, said that after installing the solar system, his electricity bill has completely disappeared and nearly 1,000 units of electricity are still credited to his account.

â??I applied online and selected a vendor through the portal. After that, the vendor completed the entire installation process,â?? he said, adding that the scheme has made electricity generation easier and more economical for households.

Meanwhile, Dr Pradeep Jain said that the use of solar energy is an important step towards environmental protection. Under the scheme, he installed a 12-kilowatt solar plant at his hospital, which has significantly reduced the institutionâ??s electricity expenses.

He said that adopting solar energy will also help reduce dependence on natural resources such as coal and hydropower while ensuring financial savings.

Dr Jain added that the solar system has required minimal maintenance over the last two years, apart from cleaning dust once a week.

â??People who have higher electricity consumption should definitely take advantage of this scheme,â?? he said.

PM Surya Ghar: Muft Bijli Yojana is a government scheme that aims to provide free electricity to households in India. The scheme was launched by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on February 15, 2024.

/IANS