PM Surya Ghar vs PM-KUSUM: Which Subsidy Actually Applies to You
Two national programs, two different beneficiaries. A decision tree for households, farmers, and everyone in between — with the off-grid exclusion stated plainly and CFA slabs you can check.
SolarQna Engineering · Engineering team · Slabs match the SolarQna subsidy eligibility engine
Introduction
India runs two flagship solar support programs and they serve different people. Households arguing about Surya Ghar at the dinner table and farmers asking about KUSUM at the mandi are talking about different schemes with different rules — mixing them up is the most common subsidy mistake in Indian rooftop solar.
This guide gives you a decision tree first, details second. Amounts below are the published central slabs; your DISCOM and state can add their own share on top.
Quick answer
Grid-connected home rooftop → PM Surya Ghar (up to ₹78,000 for 3 kW and above, DCR modules + portal vendor required). Farmer / agricultural pump or land → PM-KUSUM track (component and state dependent). Off-grid home system → neither central CFA applies — budget full cost and size batteries instead.
Which program are you in?
1. Do you have (or will you get) a grid connection at the site?
Yes → Surya Ghar is the track (residential) or state/C&I incentives (commercial). No → skip to the off-grid note below; central CFA does not apply.
2. Are you a farmer seeking solar for pumps or land?
Yes → PM-KUSUM (Components A for farmland plants, B for standalone pumps, C for grid-connected pump solarisation). Your state DISCOM runs the intake.
3. Residential rooftop with grid?
Surya Ghar. Three conditions, all mandatory: residential consumer, DCR (domestic content) modules, installation through a vendor registered on the national portal. Miss any one and the CFA does not flow.
Surya Ghar CFA slabs (central share)
Published slabs
1 kW → ₹30,000. 2 kW → ₹60,000. 3 kW and above → ₹78,000 (capped). These are central financial assistance figures credited for qualifying residential systems — the same slabs our calculator's subsidy check uses.
What changes your number
System size (see the sizing guide), DCR compliance of the modules, vendor registration, and your DISCOM's net-metering approval. States may add top-ups; they do not reduce the central slabs. Confirm current figures on the national portal before signing — slabs are policy, and policy moves.
PM-KUSUM for farmers
Three components, one intake
Component A: solar plants on farmland (up to 2 MW, grid-connected, DISCOM buys the power). Component B: standalone off-grid solar pumps — this is the track for fields without reliable grid. Component C: solarisation of existing grid-connected pumps (individual or feeder-level).
Why no single amount is quoted here
Central support under KUSUM splits between CFA, state share, and farmer contribution, and the ratios differ by component and state. Any article quoting one flat KUSUM number for the whole country is guessing. Apply through your state DISCOM or agriculture department and get the split in writing for your component.
Off-grid systems are excluded from Surya Ghar
Stated plainly: PM Surya Ghar Muft Bijli Yojana is a grid-connected rooftop program. Standalone off-grid home systems are explicitly outside it. If a dealer prices an off-grid system "after subsidy," ask which scheme, in writing — then verify with your DISCOM. Our subsidy check enforces this automatically: untick "grid-tied" and the scheme flips to excluded with the reason shown.
5 subsidy mistakes to avoid
- Budgeting an off-grid system net of Surya Ghar. The most expensive assumption on this page.
- Non-DCR modules on a Surya Ghar job. Cheaper panels that disqualify the CFA — do the net math, not the gross math.
- Unregistered vendors. Portal registration is a payment condition, not a formality.
- Quoting KUSUM as one number. Component + state determine the split; get it in writing.
- Signing before DISCOM feasibility approval. Subsidy and net-metering both hinge on the utility's technical feasibility — sequence it first.
Frequently asked questions
Subsidy questions with checkable answers below.
Key takeaways
- Grid home → Surya Ghar (₹30k/₹60k/₹78k slabs, DCR + registered vendor mandatory).
- Farmer pumps/land → PM-KUSUM via state DISCOM (component-specific splits, in writing).
- Off-grid home → no central CFA; budget full cost + batteries.
- Verify slabs on the national portal before signing anything.
Sources
Program sources below — all links verified live; slabs re-check on every policy change.
Frequently asked questions
How much subsidy for 3 kW under Surya Ghar?+
₹78,000 central financial assistance for 3 kW and above (₹30,000 for 1 kW, ₹60,000 for 2 kW). Conditions: residential consumer, DCR modules, portal-registered vendor, DISCOM feasibility approval. States may add top-ups.
Can I get Surya Ghar for an off-grid system?+
No. The scheme covers grid-connected residential rooftop systems only. Off-grid and standalone systems are explicitly excluded — budget their full cost and verify any dealer claim in writing with your DISCOM.
What is DCR and why does it matter?+
Domestic Content Requirement: cells and modules made in India with auditable origin. Surya Ghar CFA requires DCR modules — non-DCR (even if ALMM-listed for other purposes) disqualifies the central assistance.
How does a farmer apply for KUSUM?+
Through the state DISCOM or agriculture department, under the relevant component (A: farmland plants, B: standalone pumps, C: pump solarisation). The central/state/farmer cost split varies — get your component's split in writing before committing.
Do commercial rooftops get Surya Ghar?+
No — it is a residential program. Commercial and industrial systems use accelerated depreciation, state incentives, and (in the US context) the investment tax credit. Model these in the calculators, not in this guide's slabs.
Will the subsidy reduce my quoted price directly?+
Central assistance is typically credited to your bank account after installation, inspection, and DISCOM commissioning — not deducted from the dealer's quote. Get quotes gross, treat CFA as reimbursement, and never pay the ‘net’ figure upfront.
Sources
- MNRE — PM Surya Ghar: Muft Bijli Yojana — scheme guidelines (2026-10-10). pmsuryaghar.gov.in
- MNRE — PM-KUSUM scheme — programme guidelines (2026-10-10). mnre.gov.in
- CEA — Technical Standards for Connectivity of Distributed Generation (2026-10-10). cea.nic.in
- BIS — IS 14286 — terrestrial PV module design qualification (DCR context) (2026-10-10). www.bis.gov.in
- SolarQna — Subsidy eligibility engine — modeled slabs and gating rules (2026-10-15). solarqna.com/en/tools