Uttar Pradesh has emerged as the leading state in India under the Pradhan Mentri Surya Ghar Muft Bijli Yojana, achieving a landmark milestone of over 8,76,500 rooftop solar installations and surpassing Gujarat in cumulative capacity. Guided by Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, the state has accelerated implementation through district-level reviews, vendor coordination, and fast-tracked approvals. This initiative generates over 1.32 crore units of clean electricity daily, valued at more than Rs 8.5 crore per day, while saving over 11,700 acres of land and reducing carbon dioxide emissions by over 34 lakh tonnes annually. Furthermore, the scheme has empowered local economies by empanelling more than 8,000 vendors, creating over one lakh direct jobs, and disbursing substantial central and state subsidies, with cities like Lucknow and Varanasi securing top national positions.
Environment Pulse Desk: Uttar Pradesh has emerged as the top state in the country under the Pradhan Mantri Surya Ghar Muft Bijli Yojana, achieving a landmark of over 8,76,500 rooftop solar installations.
With this, UP has surpassed Gujarat in total installations and now ranks first in India in cumulative rooftop solar capacity under the scheme. Officials attributed the success to sustained push and monitoring under Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath’s leadership.
According to UPNEDA, the state has maintained a high pace of installation for the last several months through district-level reviews, DISCOM-level metering checks, vendor coordination and fast-tracking of pending applications.
Key highlights of UP’s performance
– Total installations: More than 8,76,500 rooftop solar plants
– Total capacity: Over 2,942 MW installed
– Daily generation: Capacity to produce over 1.32 crore units of clean electricity per day, valued at over Rs 8.5 crore per day or more than Rs 3,100 crore annually at Rs 6.50 per unit
– Land saved: More than 11,700 acres of land saved, as rooftop solar does not need ground-mounted space
– Environmental impact: Estimated reduction of over 34 lakh tonnes of CO2 emissions annually, equivalent to carbon absorption by over 15 crore trees in a year
– Employment: More than 8,000 vendors empanelled by UPNEDA, generating over one lakh direct jobs in sales, design, installation, electrical work and after-sales service. Indirect jobs have also been created in logistics, warehousing, fabrication, surveying and maintenance
– Subsidy support: Over Rs 5,722 crore central subsidy and over Rs 2,000 crore state subsidy disbursed so far
Officials said the scheme has also put UP districts on the national map, with 15 districts featuring among the top 100 in the country for rooftop installations. Lucknow stands at number one nationally, while Varanasi is at tenth position.
The state government said rooftop solar has now become more than an environmental initiative. It is helping families reduce electricity bills, promoting energy self-reliance and creating a large green jobs ecosystem for youth.
Under the guidance of Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, the scheme has linked public participation with energy security, employment and economic empowerment, setting a model for other states, UPNEDA officials said.
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