Solar subsidy for housing societies and RWAs
If you live in a flat, the individual ₹78,000 subsidy is usually out of reach, you don't own the roof. The route that does work is the society applying as one entity for ₹18,000 per kW on common facilities. It is the least-publicised part of PM Surya Ghar and, for a mid-sized society, one of the fastest-paying energy investments available.
At a glance, 10-second read
- ▸₹18,000 per kW central subsidy for solar on society common facilities.
- ▸Capped at 500kW, calculated at 3kW per house, including plants residents already installed.
- ▸The society applies as one entity; the subsidy lands in the society's account, not residents'.
- ▸Worked example: a 30kW plant nets ₹11,10,000 after subsidy and pays back in about 3.2 years.
What counts as a common facility
Lifts and elevators
Usually the single largest common-area load, and it runs every day.
Water pumps and STP
Pumping to overhead tanks is heavy, predictable, daytime load, an ideal solar match.
Common-area and corridor lighting
Runs at night, so it draws on net-metered credits rather than live generation.
Club house, gym, community hall
Counted as common facilities under the society's connection.
EV charging for residents
Explicitly included, and a growing share of society load.
Security systems, gates, CCTV
Small but continuous load on the common meter.
What doesn't qualify
- Individual flats' own consumption, that stays on each resident's own meter and their own (residential) subsidy slabs.
- Capacity beyond the 500kW cap, which is calculated at 3kW per house including any rooftop plants residents have already installed individually.
- Systems on a commercial connection held by a builder or a facility-management company rather than the society itself.
The worked numbers, for a 50-flat society
A 30kW plant sized to typical common-area load, two lifts, pumps, corridor and podium lighting. Societies buy at a better rate than single homes; this uses ₹55,000/kW rather than the ₹60,000/kW residential benchmark, and a ₹8/unit common-area tariff.
| System size | 30kW |
| Gross cost (at ₹55,000/kW) | ₹16,50,000 |
| Central GHS/RWA subsidy | − ₹5,40,000 |
| Net cost to the society | ₹11,10,000 |
| Generation | ~3,600 units/month |
| Saving at ₹8/unit | ~₹28,800/month |
| Simple payback | ~3.2 years |
| Effect on maintenance, per flat | ~₹576/month lower |
Estimates only, and deliberately simple. Two things make real payback slower than the number above: the society only saves on units it actually consumes, so a plant sized above common-area load exports surplus at a lower rate; and annual operations and maintenance runs roughly 1% of system cost. Common-area tariffs also vary widely by state and DISCOM, check your society's own bills, and seetariffs by state.
How a society applies, step by step
- 1
Pass a resolution in the managing committee / AGM
The society applies as one legal entity, so you need a recorded decision authorising the installation, the budget, and a signatory. Most rejections at this stage are governance, not technical.
- 2
Get a load and roof survey done
Establish the common-area consumption from 12 months of society bills, and the shadow-free roof area available. Size to the common-area load, not to the roof, exporting surplus at society scale rarely pays.
- 3
Register the society on pmsuryaghar.gov.in
Register against the society's own common-area electricity connection and consumer number, with the society's PAN and bank account. The subsidy is credited to the society, not to individual residents.
- 4
Get DISCOM feasibility approval
The DISCOM checks the sanctioned load on the common connection and local transformer capacity. Societies frequently need a sanctioned-load enhancement first, start this early, it is the longest pole.
- 5
Install through a registered vendor, then net meter
Panels must be ALMM-listed and DCR-compliant. After commissioning, the DISCOM installs a bidirectional meter on the common connection and inspects the plant.
- 6
Subsidy credited to the society's account
₹18,000 per kW is transferred by DBT after inspection, typically within 30-45 days of commissioning. It is then applied to the society's corpus or offset against maintenance, per your resolution.
₹18,000/kW for housing societies (GHS/RWA)
- ✓Group Housing Societies and RWAs get ₹18,000 per kW of central subsidy for solar on common facilities, lifts, pumps, common-area lighting, EV charging.
- ✓Capped at 500kW of capacity (at 3kW per house), including individual rooftop plants already installed by residents.
- ✓The society applies as a single entity on the PM Surya Ghar portal; the subsidy goes to the society's account.
Official portals, apply & verify here
We are not affiliated with any government body. Applications and current scheme rules live on these official portals, never pay anyone to "arrange" the subsidy for you.
FAQs
How much solar subsidy does a housing society get?
₹18,000 per kW under PM Surya Ghar, for solar installed on common facilities, lifts, pumps, common lighting, EV charging. It is capped at 500kW of capacity, calculated at 3kW per house and inclusive of individual rooftop plants residents have already installed.
Is the society subsidy different from the individual ₹78,000 subsidy?
Yes, they are separate. The ₹30,000/₹60,000/₹78,000 slabs apply to an individual residential connection. The ₹18,000 per kW GHS/RWA rate applies to the society's common-facilities connection. A resident can, in principle, benefit from both, one via the society's savings, one on their own flat if they have roof rights.
Who applies, the society or individual flat owners?
The society or RWA applies as a single entity, against its own common-area electricity connection, using the society's PAN and bank account. A managing committee resolution authorising the application is effectively mandatory.
What is the payback period for a housing society solar plant?
Typically faster than a single home, because common-area tariffs are higher and the load is daytime-heavy. A 30kW plant at about ₹55,000/kW costs ₹16,50,000 gross, ₹11,10,000 after the ₹5,40,000 subsidy, and saves roughly ₹28,800 a month at ₹8/unit, around 3.2 years.
Can an individual flat owner install solar on the society roof?
Only with the society's written permission, and it is uncommon, the roof is common property. The practical routes are either the society plant described here, or a resident with an exclusive terrace applying individually with an NOC.
Does the society need to be registered to apply?
It needs to be a legal entity with its own electricity connection, a registered cooperative housing society, RWA, or apartment owners' association. A builder-managed complex that has not yet handed over usually cannot apply until the society is formed and the connection transferred.
Sources for this page
- PM Surya Ghar, official scheme portal, GHS/RWA subsidy rate, 500kW cap, application route
- MNRE, ALMM and Domestic Content Requirement rules
Own the roof yourself?
If you have an independent house or exclusive terrace rights, you get the residential slabs instead, up to ₹78,000. Check what your bill justifies.