The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA) has granted approval for the Phase-II of grid-connected rooftop solar programme for achieving cumulative capacity of 40,000 MW from such projects by 2022. The programme will be executed with total central financial support of Rs 11,814 crore.
The Phase-II Programme Central Financial Assistance for the residential sector has been restructured with availability of 40 percent support for rooftop solar (RTS) systems up to three kW capacity and 20 percent for RTS system capacity beyond three kW and up to 10 kW. For Group Housing Societies/Residential Welfare Associations (GHS/RAW), the assistance will be limited to 20 percent for RTS plants for supply of power to common facilities.
However, the capacity eligible for support for GHS/RAW will be limited to 10 kW per house with maximum total capacity up to 500 kWp, inclusive of RTS put in individual houses in the GHS/RWA. The CFA under residential category will be provided for 4,000 MW capacity and the same will be provided on the basis of benchmark cost or tender cost, which is lower.
The financial support will not be available for other category i.e., institutional, educational, social, government, commercial, industrial, etc. Under Phase-II Programme, focus will be on increased involvement of DISCOMs. Performance based incentives will be provided to DISCOMs based on RTS capacity achieved in a financial year over and above the base capacity i.e. cumulative capacity achieved at the end of previous financial year.
DISCOMs and its local offices shall be the nodal points for implementation of the programme. Since, DISCOMs are required to incur additional expenditure for implementation of scheme in terms of additional man-power, creating infrastructure, capacity building, awareness, etc.
The incentives to the DISCOMs will be available only for initial capacity addition of 18,000 MW under the scheme.