How much solar subsidy do homes get in West Bengal in 2026?
A home in West Bengal can claim up to ₹78,000 in central subsidy under PM Surya Ghar, plus a West Bengal state top-up of up to ₹15,000, taking total support for a 3 kW rooftop system to about ₹93,000. Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribe households get a further ₹15,000 from the state.
TL;DR: PM Surya Ghar opened to all West Bengal consumers in 2026; until then only CESC-area homes could claim it. The Centre pays ₹30,000 per kW for the first 2 kW and ₹18,000 for the third, capped at ₹78,000. The state announced a top-up of ₹5,000, ₹10,000 and ₹15,000 for 1, 2 and 3 kW systems at its 22 July 2026 launch. Apply on the national portal, then complete your utility's net-metering process (WBSEDCL, CESC or another licensee).
Last verified: 15 November 2026
- What changed in 2026
- Subsidy amounts: central CFA plus West Bengal top-up
- How to apply: step by step
- Which licensee serves your home
- What solar costs after the subsidy
- Net metering for homes in West Bengal
- Frequently Asked Questions
What changed in 2026
West Bengal was one of the last large states to adopt PM Surya Ghar. Three things changed this year:
- The scheme opened to WBSEDCL consumers. Until 2026 only homes inside the CESC licence area (Kolkata and adjoining areas) could claim the central subsidy, because the state utility was not integrated with the national portal. WBSEDCL consumers can now register and claim like the rest of the country.
- State launch on 22 July 2026. The Chief Minister launched the scheme at Nabanna with a target of 5 lakh rooftop-solar homes by March 2027, against the Centre's target of 1 lakh for the state, and announced the additional state assistance described below (ETGovernment/PTI, 22 July 2026).
- Aloshree stopped taking fresh applications. The state's earlier rooftop programme for WBSEDCL homes has been replaced by the national scheme. If you had a pending Aloshree application, re-apply on the national portal rather than waiting on the old file.
Subsidy amounts: central CFA plus West Bengal top-up
Central financial assistance (CFA) under PM Surya Ghar follows the national slab structure: ₹30,000 per kW for the first 2 kW and ₹18,000 for the third kW, with no central assistance beyond 3 kW. The ceiling is ₹78,000. Amounts are credited to your bank account after commissioning and inspection, not deducted by the vendor (PM Surya Ghar portal).
| System size | Central CFA | West Bengal top-up | Total | Total for SC/ST households |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 kW | ₹30,000 | ₹5,000 | ₹35,000 | ₹50,000 |
| 2 kW | ₹60,000 | ₹10,000 | ₹70,000 | ₹85,000 |
| 3 kW and above | ₹78,000 (ceiling) | ₹15,000 | ₹93,000 | ₹1,08,000 |
Sources: central slabs from the PM Surya Ghar portal; the state top-up and the SC/ST addition were announced by the Chief Minister at the state launch on 22 July 2026 (ETGovernment/PTI).
One caveat to check before you budget the top-up. The state amounts were announced at the launch event, and a detailed notification setting out how the top-up is disbursed had not been published when this page was last verified. Plan on the central CFA as confirmed money, and treat the top-up as confirmed only once it appears in your own application on the national portal.
The top-up is not unique to West Bengal. Several states add their own assistance on top of the central slabs; see our guide to state subsidy top-ups.
How to apply: step by step
- Register on the national portal. Create an account on pmsuryaghar.gov.in, select your state and district, and choose your distribution licensee exactly as printed on your electricity bill. Your consumer number links your application to the utility.
- Submit the application. Enter the proposed system size and upload a recent bill. For the subsidy, the vendor must be registered on the national portal.
- Feasibility approval. Your utility reviews the application against sanctioned load and network capacity and approves the proposed size.
- Install. The registered vendor installs the system and uploads plant details and photographs.
- Net metering and inspection. The utility runs its own net-metering procedure (for WBSEDCL this is its Procedure-C process: application, a quotation for the generation meter and modem, inspection, and the electrical-inspector clearance or self-certification where allowed). See our guide to the solar net-metering application process.
- Commission and claim. After commissioning, submit your bank details on the portal and the central CFA is transferred to your account. Track progress on our PM Surya Ghar application status guide.
For the full paperwork walkthrough, see our step-by-step PM Surya Ghar application guide.
Which licensee serves your home
Your application runs under the licensee named on your bill, not your district. Neighbouring streets can fall under different utilities, so check the bill header first.
| Licensee | Where it serves | What it means for you |
|---|---|---|
| WBSEDCL | Most of the state outside the CESC area | Open on the national portal since 2026; Procedure-C net-metering process |
| CESC Limited | Kolkata and adjoining parts of Howrah, Hooghly and the 24 Parganas | On the portal since 2024; has its own grid-connectivity procedure. See our CESC net-metering guide |
| India Power | Asansol area | Confirm PM Surya Ghar onboarding with the utility |
| Durgapur Projects Limited (DPL) | Durgapur industrial area | Confirm PM Surya Ghar onboarding with the utility |
What solar costs after the subsidy
For subsidy computation, MNRE uses a benchmark cost of ₹50,000 per kW for the first 2 kW and ₹45,000 for each additional kW (PM Surya Ghar portal). This is a reference figure for calculating assistance, not a market quote.
Worked example for a 3 kW system, using benchmark figures only:
- Benchmark cost: 2 kW at ₹50,000 plus 1 kW at ₹45,000 = ₹1,45,000
- Central CFA: ₹78,000
- Announced state top-up: ₹15,000
- Indicative net cost: ₹1,45,000 minus ₹93,000 = about ₹52,000
Actual installed prices vary with roof type, city, panel brand and inverter choice, and are often below the benchmark. For current price ranges by system size, see our solar panel price for homes guide. If the upfront cost is the constraint, solar loans under PM Surya Ghar let you pay the net cost in monthly instalments that are usually close to your existing bill savings.
Net metering for homes in West Bengal
Residential rooftop systems connect under net metering: solar units you export offset units you import within the billing cycle, and surplus is carried forward to the settlement period rather than paid out in cash. Capacity is capped at your sanctioned load, so size the plant against your actual consumption. Our guide to India's net-metering policy explains the settlement rules, and the WBSEDCL net-metering guide covers the utility's process in detail.
Housing societies and RWAs can also claim PM Surya Ghar assistance for common-area facilities at a separate rate; see our housing-society solar guide for how group applications work. For homes across Delhi NCR, our solar for home pillar guide compares the region's subsidy routes side by side.
A note for business readers: the amounts on this page apply to homes. If you run a factory, warehouse or commercial building in West Bengal, the residential subsidy does not apply to you, and the economics run through net billing, open access or captive systems instead. Start with our industrial solar guide for West Bengal and Kolkata or Sun Wave Technologies' industrial rooftop solar page for Kolkata.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is there a state solar subsidy in West Bengal in 2026?
Yes. At the state launch on 22 July 2026, the government announced a top-up of ₹5,000 for 1 kW, ₹10,000 for 2 kW and ₹15,000 for 3 kW systems, plus an extra ₹15,000 for SC and ST households, over and above the central PM Surya Ghar subsidy (ETGovernment/PTI). Confirm the top-up appears in your own application on the national portal before counting on it, since the disbursement notification had not been published when this page was last verified.
Can WBSEDCL consumers apply for PM Surya Ghar?
Yes. Since 2026 the state utility is integrated with the national portal, so WBSEDCL consumers register and claim like consumers anywhere else in India. Earlier, only CESC-area homes could claim the central subsidy.
How much subsidy do I get for a 5 kW system?
The central CFA is capped at ₹78,000 regardless of size beyond 3 kW, so a 5 kW system gets the same ₹78,000 plus the announced ₹15,000 state top-up. Larger systems make sense mainly if your sanctioned load and consumption justify them, because the extra capacity earns no extra subsidy.
How is the subsidy paid?
The central CFA is credited directly to your bank account after the plant is commissioned and inspected, with the details submitted on the national portal. You pay the installer the full price and receive the subsidy separately; it is not deducted by the vendor.
Does the West Bengal top-up apply to CESC customers in Kolkata?
The state top-up was announced for the whole state at the launch. CESC-area homes have been able to claim the central subsidy since 2024, and the top-up applies through the same national-portal application. As with WBSEDCL, confirm it shows in your application.
How long does the whole process take?
Registration and approval happen on the portal, and the utility's feasibility approval, installation, inspection and meter installation each take a few weeks in practice, depending on the licensee and site. The subsidy is released after commissioning and inspection, so most applications complete over a couple of months. Track your file with our application status guide.
I had an Aloshree application pending. What should I do?
Aloshree has stopped taking fresh applications since PM Surya Ghar opened to WBSEDCL consumers. Re-apply on the national portal rather than waiting for the old file to move.
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