THEBUSINESSBYTES BUREAU
BHUBANESWAR, AUGUST 17, 2026
Odisha has scripted a remarkable turnaround in India’s
rooftop solar landscape, surging from 13th to 7th position nationally under the
PM Surya Ghar: Muft Bijli Yojana, as
a combination of attractive subsidies, aggressive utility-led execution and
grassroots mobilisation drives a sharp rise in household adoption. According to
data available on the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE) portal, the
State has crossed the 1.5 lakh installation mark, with around 1.74 lakh rooftop
solar systems commissioned against more than 3.1 lakh applications.
The rapid growth has propelled Odisha ahead of Madhya Pradesh
and Assam and positioned the State as one of the country’s fastest-growing
rooftop solar markets. The achievement comes as government financial support,
consumer facilitation, a growing vendor ecosystem and sustained field-level
outreach increasingly convert consumer interest into commissioned rooftop
systems.
Odisha has received 3,12,527 applications under the scheme,
while around 1.74 lakh installations have been completed. Applications have risen
from 1,95,513 to 3,12,527, while installations have jumped from 72,538 to
around 1.74 lakh. This translates into approximately 60 per cent growth in
applications and more than 130 per cent growth in installations. The
application-to-installation conversion rate has also improved substantially,
from 37.1 per cent to 53.4 per cent, indicating stronger execution across the
entire consumer journey, from application and approval to installation,
inspection, metering and commissioning.
A key catalyst for the surge has been Odisha’s additional
financial support over and above the Central subsidy available under PM Surya
Ghar. Eligible residential consumers can receive combined Central and State
assistance of up to ₹1.38 lakh for a 3 kWp rooftop solar system, subject to applicable capacity, consumer
category and scheme guidelines.
With the State targeting 3 lakh rooftop solar installations
by 2027, the enhanced subsidy proposition and improving implementation
ecosystem are making rooftop solar increasingly accessible to households across
urban, rural and semi-urban Odisha.
At the heart of the implementation push are Odisha’s four
distribution companies — TPCODL, TPWODL, TPNODL and TPSODL — which have played
a pivotal role in translating policy support into installations on the ground.
Collectively, the discoms have facilitated around 1.74 lakh rooftop solar
installations across their respective service areas.
TPCODL has facilitated 56,842 installations, followed by
TPWODL with 48,905, TPNODL with 44,785 and TPSODL with 23,881 installations,
taking the combined tally to 1,73,413.
The Odisha Discoms have increasingly moved beyond their
conventional role as electricity distributors to become consumer-facing
enablers of rooftop solar. Their role spans net-metering facilitation,
inspections and commissioning, vendor registration and management, consumer
handholding and coordination with government departments and other ecosystem
partners. The utilities have also supported solarisation of government
buildings and undertaken extensive awareness initiatives to drive consumer
adoption.
Tata Power-led Odisha Discoms have intensified consumer
engagement through the “Mo Chhata, Mo Sanchaya” campaign, which focuses on the
twin benefits of rooftop solar — lower electricity expenditure and long-term
household savings. The campaign is being reinforced through Surya Ghar Gram
Sabhas at the Gram Panchayat level, bringing together sarpanches, block-level
officials, community leaders and citizens. Information, Education and
Communication (IEC) activities are being undertaken in accordance with
guidelines issued by the Government of Odisha to ensure consistent outreach
across the State.
TPCODL has also launched its dedicated mobile consumer
outreach initiative, ‘Solar Rath’, to take information and handholding directly
to communities and accelerate adoption under PM Surya Ghar, particularly
through the Utility-Led Aggregation (ULA) model. The initiative is aimed at
expanding awareness and facilitating rooftop solar adoption in emerging and
underserved markets.
The Solar Didi initiative, implemented by Tata Power Skill
Development Institute (TPSDI), is adding a further grassroots dimension to
Odisha’s clean-energy transition by placing women at the centre of rooftop
solar mobilisation. Through structured training in rooftop solar installation
and maintenance, Solar Didis are being equipped to act as grassroots
ambassadors, address consumer queries, build awareness and encourage households
to adopt clean-energy solutions.
Odisha’s emerging model is therefore, built around an
end-to-end consumer ecosystem that brings together attractive subsidies,
utility-led facilitation, vendor coordination, net-metering support, ULA-based
outreach, community mobilisation and women-led awareness. The approach is
helping transform rooftop solar from a policy-led programme into an
increasingly practical household energy solution.
The momentum is also broad-based geographically. Baleshwar,
Ganjam, Khordha and Cuttack have each crossed the 10,000-installation milestone.
Baleshwar leads with 16,069 installations, followed by Ganjam with 15,301,
Khordha with 14,236 and Cuttack with 13,343 installations. Together, the four
districts account for approximately 143 MWp of rooftop solar capacity,
underscoring their contribution to Odisha’s clean-energy transition.
With 3,12,527 applications, 1.74 lakh commissioned
installations and 410 MWp of rooftop solar capacity, Odisha has built a strong
platform for the next phase of growth. The State’s progress highlights how
policy support, consumer economics and utility-led execution can combine to
accelerate decentralised renewable energy at scale.
Commenting on the performance, Gajanan Kale, Chief- Odisha Distribution Business, Tata Power, said: “Odisha’s rise from 13th to 7th position nationally and the achievement of more than 1.5 lakh rooftop solar installations are a strong testament to the growing confidence of consumers in clean energy. The attractive subsidy support provided by the Government of Odisha, combined with the Central assistance under PM Surya Ghar, has created a compelling proposition for households. We are focused on ensuring that this demand translates into installations through strong last-mile execution, consumer facilitation, net-metering support, vendor coordination and grassroots engagement. Through initiatives such as ‘Mo Chhata, Mo Sanchaya’, Surya Ghar Gram Sabhas, ULA-based outreach and Solar Didi, we are working to make rooftop solar simpler, more accessible and more relevant to households across Odisha.”
Odisha’s climb from 13th to 7th nationally, coupled with 1.74 lakh commissioned rooftop solar systems and 410 MWp of installed capacity, marks a decisive phase in the State’s clean-energy journey. With the Government of Odisha creating a strong financial proposition and Tata Power-led Odisha Discoms taking the programme directly to consumers through execution, facilitation and grassroots mobilisation, the State is emerging as a strong model for how rooftop solar can evolve from a government scheme into a mass household clean-energy movement.
