Kolkata: West Bengal State Electricity Distribution Company Limited (WBSEDCL) and REC Limited jointly organised a National Vendor Meet under the PM-Surya Ghar: Muft Bijli Yojana in Kolkata on August 13, 2026, with a focus on strengthening scheme implementation and accelerating rooftop solar installations across West Bengal.
The meeting was held at Hotel Taj Bengal, New Alipore, and was chaired by Santanu Basu, IAS, Principal Secretary, Power Department, Government of West Bengal. Officials from REC, CESC, the West Bengal Government, state and national vendors and training partners participated in the programme.
Key Focus Areas of the Meet
The discussions centred on strengthening the implementation ecosystem for rooftop solar in the state, with emphasis on:
- Increasing participation of state and national vendors
- Expanding vendor and channel-partner networks
- Improving the quality of rooftop solar installations
- Training and capacity building for vendors
- Addressing implementation-related issues faced by consumers, vendors and DISCOMs
The state government emphasised the need for coordinated participation from vendors and other stakeholders to strengthen implementation of the scheme in West Bengal.
REC Highlights Role as National Implementation Agency
REC officials presented the national-level implementation perspective of PM-Surya Ghar and discussed measures to facilitate faster rooftop solar installations.
S. Jayanthi, Executive Director, REC, urged national vendors to deploy adequate manpower and asked brand owners to expand their channel-partner networks across West Bengal.
REC also assured stakeholders of support in addressing issues involving vendors, consumers and DISCOMs during implementation.
REC is designated as the National Programme Implementation Agency (NPIA) for PM-Surya Ghar, with responsibilities including operation of the National Portal and registration of vendors at the national level.
Training, Quality and Vendor Rating Discussed
REC officials Devinder and Raman Garg, both Deputy General Managers, made presentations on increasing vendor participation, maintaining the quality of rooftop solar plants and the vendor-rating framework.
The discussions also covered training and capacity-building provisions available for vendors under PM-Surya Ghar.
The Ministry of New and Renewable Energy has separately issued operational guidelines covering components such as vendor rating and capacity building under the scheme.
PM-Surya Ghar: Muft Bijli Yojana
Launched in February 2024, PM-Surya Ghar: Muft Bijli Yojana aims to promote rooftop solar among residential households. The Union Cabinet approved the scheme with a total outlay of ₹75,021 crore and a target of installing rooftop solar systems in one crore households.
Under the scheme, residential consumers can apply through the National Portal and select an empanelled vendor for rooftop solar installation. Central Financial Assistance is provided to eligible households, subject to the scheme’s guidelines.
In West Bengal, WBSEDCL’s official portal provides information and links related to PM-Surya Ghar, while the state government has outlined the application and vendor-selection process for eligible residential consumers.
Stakeholder Coordination to Drive Implementation
The Kolkata meeting brought together the state power utility, REC, DISCOM representatives, vendors, training partners and government stakeholders to discuss implementation requirements.
The discussions focused on strengthening the vendor ecosystem, improving installation quality and building the capacity required to expand rooftop solar adoption under PM-Surya Ghar across West Bengal.
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