The PM Surya Ghar application runs in two phases: a pre-installation approval from your DISCOM, then a post-installation claim once the system is commissioned. Miss that order — or install before the approval arrives — and the subsidy claim can fail entirely. Here is what the process looks like for a JdVVNL customer in Jodhpur.
The portal’s document list is updated from time to time, so check it on the day you apply rather than trusting any blog — including this one. As a general guide you will need:
Keep your JdVVNL bill in front of you when you register. The consumer number must match the bill exactly — mismatches at this stage slow things down.
Go to pmsuryaghar.gov.in and choose "Apply for Rooftop Solar." Registration is built on your mobile number and Aadhaar OTP. You will be asked for your state (Rajasthan), your DISCOM (JdVVNL — Jodhpur Vidyut Vitran Nigam Limited), your consumer number, and your name as it appears on the bill.
If your Aadhaar is not linked to your mobile number, sort that first — the OTP verification will not work without it, and there is no alternative route on the portal.
After registration, complete the application: your address, roof type, the system capacity you are applying for. You do not need to name an installer at this stage.
Submit and save the application reference number. You will need it to check status and, later, to link your installation to the application.
A note on system size: the central subsidy reaches its maximum — ₹78,000 — at 3 kW. Going above 3 kW earns no additional central subsidy. If you are deciding between system sizes, our solar subsidy guide for Jodhpur explains how the slab works and what it means for your net cost.
JdVVNL reviews your application against your sanctioned load and the grid capacity in your part of the city. How long this takes varies by area and by how busy the local office is, so we do not quote a number for it — anyone who promises you a fixed approval date is promising something they do not control. You receive an in-principle sanction once it is approved.
Do not proceed with installation before this sanction arrives. Panels installed without prior DISCOM approval are not eligible for the subsidy — no exceptions, no workarounds. This is the most common reason claims fail, and it is entirely avoidable.
With the sanction in hand, installation can proceed. For the subsidy to be payable, the panels must appear on the MNRE ALMM list (Approved List of Models and Manufacturers). Your installer should give you the panel model number and its ALMM reference — if they cannot produce it, that is a red flag.
A standard residential installation takes one to two days depending on system size and roof complexity.
After installation, a net meter application goes to JdVVNL. This is a separate process from the subsidy, but they are connected — you generally cannot complete the subsidy claim until the net meter is installed and the system is officially commissioned.
Inspection timelines depend on the local JdVVNL office’s workload. Following this up is something your installer should be doing, not something you should be chasing alone.
A JdVVNL engineer visits, inspects the installation against the approved design, verifies the equipment, and signs off on commissioning. From this point the system is live on their records.
Return to the pmsuryaghar.gov.in portal and upload the post-installation documents. Confirm the exact checklist on the portal at the time of filing, since it changes. It typically includes an installation certificate, photographs of the commissioned system, and the net meter installation certificate.
Once accepted, the subsidy is credited to the bank account you registered with. To be clear about timing and mechanics: this is not a discount applied to your installer's invoice. You pay your installer the full agreed amount upfront. The government transfers the subsidy to your account separately, after everything above is complete.
The government publishes its expected disbursement timeline on the portal, and that figure is more reliable than anything an installer tells you. Our role is to file correctly and follow up; the payment schedule is not ours to control.
The central subsidy slab is fixed and published:
Maximum central subsidy: ₹78,000 for systems of 3 kW and above.
For context: LiumiQ's indicative price for a 3 kW system is ₹1,80,000 before subsidy, coming down to around ₹1,02,000 after the central subsidy. For a 5 kW system, ₹2,80,000 before and ₹2,02,000 after. These are indicative — the binding figure is the written quote after a free site survey, not the card price.
Rajasthan has at times offered an additional state-level subsidy on top of the central amount. We are not quoting a figure here, because state schemes change and we would rather you check than trust a number on an installer’s blog — confirm the current amount and eligibility with JdVVNL or the state portal before you plan a budget around it.
Installing before DISCOM sanction is the one error in this process that has no fix. The portal requires the sanction reference number when you submit the post-installation claim. There is no retroactive sanction, no exception path, and no appeal. Everything else — a wrong document, a blurry photo, a bank detail mismatch — can be corrected. Skipping the sanction cannot.
You should not be navigating the portal yourself for most of this. A proper rooftop solar installation in Jodhpur includes the application paperwork as part of the service: submitting the pre-installation application, tracking the DISCOM sanction, coordinating the inspection visit, uploading post-installation documents, and following up when status stops moving.
Before you sign anything, ask your installer directly: "Do you handle the PM Surya Ghar application end to end, including post-installation uploads, or is any part of that my responsibility?" Ask for a written confirmation of what is included. The answer tells you a great deal about how the rest of the project will go.