Delhi Cabinet approves zero-upfront solar

On 1 September 2026 the Delhi Cabinet approved a second amendment to the Delhi Solar Energy Policy: up to 3 kW at zero upfront cost, "subject to technical feasibility", for households that averaged 400 units a month or less in FY 2025-26. The decision was reported by ANI, India TV and Saur Energy the same day. When we checked on 16 September 2026 the notification and operating rules had not been published, so nothing on this page can yet be claimed.

Not yet official. Cabinet-approved on 1 September 2026 and reported by the press; the notification and operating rules had not been published when we checked on 16 September 2026. The official Delhi portal still shows the July 2025 figures.

What was announced

The reports agree on five points.

• Who. households that averaged 400 units a month or less in FY 2025-26.
• What. up to 3 kW at zero upfront cost, "subject to technical feasibility".
• The money. ₹78,000 from Delhi on top of the central ₹78,000, plus a top-up to the tendered plant cost.
• Maintenance. free operation and maintenance for 5 years.
• The target. a target of 2.30 lakh rooftops and 500 MW by March 2027.

One report added that households that install solar keep Delhi's free-power subsidy. Saur Energy's piece set the announcement against Delhi's earlier rooftop targets and how far each got, which is worth reading before treating the new number as a forecast.

Not yet official. A stated government target, not an achievement.

Not yet official. Stated in news coverage of the 1 September 2026 Cabinet decision.

What a Delhi home can claim today

The subsidy in force is the July 2025 one: ₹26,000 per kW, capped at ₹78,000 (3 kW), on top of the central ₹78,000 under PM Surya Ghar: Muft Bijli Yojana, plus a generation-based incentive of ₹3 per unit for homes up to 3 kW, paid for 5 years from commissioning, paid monthly against the bill; any excess to the bank account. The Delhi Solar Portal still showed those figures on 18 September 2026.

The reports do not say whether the new state contribution replaces or adds to that subsidy, whether the generation incentive continues, or what a household above 400 units receives. Those questions, and what a household under 400 units should do while it waits, are set out in the zero-upfront explainer.

What to do now

If your bill shows more than 400 units a month, or you need more than 3 kW, the announcement does not cover you and waiting only costs generation. The Delhi subsidy page has the current arithmetic and the Delhi pricing page has the net price by capacity.

If you are under 400 units and want 3 kW or less, registering on pmsuryaghar.gov.in and getting a survey costs nothing and keeps the option open. Do not pay anyone to book a place in a scheme that has no rules, no timeline and no application route. The eligibility checker covers the subsidy that exists today.