MNRE Allows Cross-State Vendors in UTs for Faster Solar Rollout Under PM-SGMBY

In a move to accelerate the implementation of the PM Surya Ghar Muft Bijli Yojana (PM-SGMBY), the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE) has issued an Office Memorandum (OM) allowing vendors from adjacent states to operate in Union Territories (UTs) without requiring additional bank guarantees. This step addresses the limited availability of vendors in UTs, ensuring a faster rollout of rooftop solar (RTS) systems under the scheme.

The move comes in response to challenges posed by the scarcity of registered vendors in the UTs, which threatened to delay the progress of PM Surya Ghar Muft Bijli Yojana. By enabling vendors already registered or impanelled in neighbouring states to undertake RTS installations in UTs, the government is ensuring the uninterrupted and efficient implementation of the scheme.

The vendors from adjacent states are now permitted to operate in various UTs under the PM Surya Ghar Muft Bijli Yojana. As of now, vendors from Tamil Nadu can work in Puducherry, those from Punjab and Haryana in Chandigarh, and vendors from Punjab and Himachal Pradesh in Jammu and Kashmir.

Similarly, vendors from Himachal Pradesh can serve in Ladakh, those from Gujarat and Maharashtra in Daman & Diu and Dadra & Nagar Haveli, vendors from Tamil Nadu and West Bengal in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands, and vendors from Kerala in Lakshadweep.

To manage any complaints against these vendors, the National Programme Implementing Agency (NPIA) has been tasked with overseeing the process, including instructing the invocation of bank guarantees collected by the relevant State/Discom authorities. Additionally, the MNRE emphasised that vendors registered with one DISCOM in a state can work across other DISCOMs within the same state under the existing provisions, with no need for additional bank guarantees, INR 25 lakh. States are also empowered to appoint a nodal DISCOM or any other agency to manage vendor registrations for the entire state.

This policy shift is expected to significantly speed up the deployment of rooftop solar systems in the UTs, aligning with the government's broader goals under the PM Surya Ghar Muft Bijli Yojana to increase renewable energy adoption nationwide.