Under the Off-grid and Decentralized Solar Applications Scheme of the Jawaharlal Nehru National Solar Mission (JNNSM), the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy is providing central financial assistance (CFA) for solar PV lighting systems and solar cookers, said Union Minister of State for New and Renewable Energy Farooq Abdullah in the Lok Sabha recently.    

The Ministry is providing central financial assistance (CFA) for solar Lighting systems and solar Cookers. Of 30 per cent of the cost of installation of solar photovoltaic lanterns and home lights limited to Rs 81 per Wp for CFL based systems and Rs 135 per Wp for LED based systems in General Category States. Alternatively, the Ministry is also providing 40 per cent subsidy limited to Rs 108 per Wp for solar home lighting systems and small capacity PV systems through NABARD, commercial banks and regional rural banks.    

The Ministry provides central financial assistance of Rs 3,600 per sq. m. of collector area for direct heating applications and Rs 2,100 per sq. m. for concentrator with manual tracking for cooking applications to the users. 126482 solar lanterns and 342599 solar home lights have been installed in the country including rural areas during the last three years. The Ministry does not allocate separate funds for solar lighting systems and solar cookers.    

The Off-grid and Decentralized Solar Applications Scheme of the Jawaharlal Nehru National Solar Mission (JNNSM) is being implemented throughout the country including rural areas.