The PM Surya Ghar Muft Bijli Yojana promised free electricity through rooftop solar panels. But in Greater Noida, a different story is unfolding. Banks are sitting on 164 loan applications, and people who applied months ago are still making rounds of bank branches.
The scheme offers a government subsidy of up to Rs 1.08 lakh for installing solar plants with a capacity of three kilowatts or more. For the remaining cost, applicants can take a bank loan. Sounds simple, right? Not quite.
The Real Picture on Ground
State Bank of India (SBI) alone has 57 pending applications. Canara Bank has 51, Bank of Baroda has 21, and Punjab National Bank has 35. These are not just numbers. Behind each file is a family waiting to reduce their electricity bills and contribute to clean energy.
Ravi from Greater Noida Beta One Sector applied in April. Six months later, his loan is neither approved nor rejected. He says if the bank had rejected it, he could have tried another bank. But this limbo is worse.
Chandra Jeet Yadav from Noida Surfabad has a similar story. He applied at Bank of Baroda six months ago. The bank refused to process his loan. He complained to the Lead District Manager multiple times. Nothing happened.
Why This Matters
The district has already installed 2,943 solar plants. The government set a target of 175 installations per month for the NEDA department. In April, they managed 168. In May, 216. In June, only 39. The numbers show promise, but the pending applications tell a different story.
When banks delay, targets suffer. More importantly, families who want to switch to solar energy stay stuck with high electricity bills. The environment misses out on cleaner energy sources. And the government's push for renewable energy loses momentum.
Who Benefits from Solar Installation
A three kilowatt solar plant can generate enough electricity to power a typical Indian household. The government subsidy covers a significant portion of the cost. The loan makes the rest affordable. Once installed, the system can reduce electricity bills to almost zero. In some cases, excess power can be sold back to the grid.
The financial math works well. But only if banks approve the loans.
What Officials Are Saying
Lead Bank Manager Ram Vinod Kumar says they are taking note of the issue. He claims pending cases will be resolved soon. Banks have been asked to prioritize these applications.
Lavesh Siyodia, in-charge NEDA officer for Gautam Buddh Nagar, confirms that the department has been meeting bank representatives. They have requested faster processing of pending applications. The goal is to meet monthly targets on time.
But applicants have heard these assurances before. What they need is action, not meetings.
The Breakdown by Bank
SBI leads in pending applications with 57 files stuck in processing. Canara Bank follows with 51. PNB has 35 pending cases. Bank of Baroda has 21. These four banks handle most of the loan applications under the scheme.
The delay pattern suggests a systemic issue rather than isolated cases. Either banks lack clear guidelines, or they are hesitant to lend for solar installations. Either way, applicants pay the price.
What Applicants Can Do
If your application is pending for over a month, follow up with your bank branch. Ask for specific reasons for the delay. Request a written response if possible. This creates a paper trail.
Contact the Lead District Manager if the bank does not respond. File a formal complaint. Mention your application date and the bank's response (or lack of it).
Consider approaching another bank if one rejects your application. The scheme allows you to apply through any participating bank. Do not wait indefinitely for one bank to decide.
Connect with other applicants in your area. Group complaints often get faster attention than individual ones. Social media can also help amplify your voice, but stick to facts and avoid exaggeration.
The Larger Context
India aims to reach 500 GW of renewable energy capacity by 2030. Rooftop solar forms a crucial part of this goal. Schemes like PM Surya Ghar Yojana can accelerate adoption at the household level.
But implementation gaps like these slow down progress. When banks drag their feet, the entire chain suffers. Vendors wait for orders. Installers sit idle. Government targets remain on paper.
The irony is sharp. The country wants to move towards solar energy. The government offers subsidies. People are willing to install panels. But the financial system, which should enable this transition, becomes a bottleneck.
Greater Noida is not alone in facing these delays. Similar complaints emerge from other districts too. The solution needs to be systemic. Banks need clear instructions, better training for branch staff, and accountability for delays.
For now, 164 families in Greater Noida continue their wait. They check their phones for updates. They visit bank branches. They hope that their turn will come soon. The sun keeps shining on their rooftops, but the panels that could harness that energy remain uninstalled.
