- PM Surya Ghar funds the home rooftop — including rural and agricultural households.
- PM-KUSUM is a separate MNRE scheme for farm pumps and ground-mounted farm solar.
- Different schemes, different beneficiaries, different subsidy structures — do not mix them.
- PM Surya Ghar residential subsidy: ₹30,000/kW up to 2 kW + ₹18,000 for the 3rd kW, ₹78,000 cap.
- KUSUM components and splits change — verify the current structure with MNRE.
A rural family asks for solar and you have to answer one question first: is this the home or the farm? PM Surya Ghar pays for the home rooftop. The farm pump is a different scheme called PM-KUSUM. Getting this split right is the start of every clean job.
What PM Surya Ghar covers in rural areas
PM Surya Ghar covers rooftop solar on the home of a rural or agricultural household — the same way it covers any other residential house. The scheme funds the roof of the dwelling, not the field, the pump or the barn. If the family lives on a residential electricity connection, that home qualifies.
So "rural" does not change the scheme. A farmer's house in a village gets the same residential rooftop subsidy as a flat in a city. What matters is the connection type and the roof, not the postcode. The work is a normal rooftop install with the usual DISCOM and net-meter steps.
Why the word "agricultural" confuses people
The word "agricultural" trips up many buyers. They hear "solar scheme for farmers" and assume one scheme does everything. It does not. PM Surya Ghar is the rooftop scheme. The pump, the bore well and the irrigation load sit under a different scheme. Keep the two clearly apart in every quote.
PM Surya Ghar vs PM-KUSUM, in one breath
PM Surya Ghar and PM-KUSUM are two separate MNRE schemes with different goals. PM Surya Ghar puts solar on homes. PM-KUSUM puts solar on farms — pumps and ground plants. They are not two doors to the same room. They have different beneficiaries, different rules and different money.
Think of it this way. The house goes through PM Surya Ghar. The farm pump and field plant go through PM-KUSUM. One family can use both, but as two separate applications under two separate schemes. We explain PM-KUSUM below in plain text so you can answer a farmer's questions with confidence.
Side-by-side: PM Surya Ghar vs PM-KUSUM components
This table sets the two schemes side by side — PM Surya Ghar against the three PM-KUSUM components. Use it to place any rural project in the right scheme before you quote. Figures are illustrative; KUSUM splits change, so verify them with MNRE.
Caption: PM Surya Ghar (rural household rooftop) vs PM-KUSUM Components A/B/C. Figures are illustrative — verify current scheme boundaries and subsidy splits with MNRE (pmsuryaghar.gov.in and pmkusum.mnre.gov.in).
What PM-KUSUM actually funds
PM-KUSUM funds agricultural solar through three components, and none of them is a home rooftop. PM-KUSUM is a separate MNRE scheme, so its rules sit apart from PM Surya Ghar. Below is a high-level view of each component. Verify the current component structure and subsidy splits with MNRE before you quote.
Component A — ground-mounted plants on farm land
Component A is for decentralised, ground-mounted solar plants built on barren or fallow farm land and connected to the grid. Farmers, co-ops, panchayats or developers build the plant, and the DISCOM buys the power. This is a power-sale model, not a flat rooftop subsidy. Verify the current terms with MNRE.
Component B — standalone solar pumps
Component B is for standalone, off-grid solar agriculture pumps in fields with no grid connection. An individual farmer gets a solar pump set funded by a central and state share plus a farmer contribution. The exact split differs by state and changes over time, so verify it with MNRE.
Component C — solarising grid-connected pumps and feeders
Component C is for the solarisation of existing grid-connected pumps and, in feeder-level mode, whole agricultural feeders. The aim is to power pumps that already run on the grid with solar instead. The funding mix and modes differ, so verify the current Component C structure with MNRE.
Who is the beneficiary in each scheme
The beneficiary is different in each scheme, and that drives the paperwork. Under PM Surya Ghar, the beneficiary is the household on a residential connection. Under PM-KUSUM, the beneficiary is the farmer, co-op, panchayat or developer, depending on the component.
This matters because the subsidy follows the beneficiary. PM Surya Ghar pays the household after the rooftop is commissioned and the net meter is installed. PM-KUSUM money flows to the farm project under its own component rules. Quote the right scheme to the right party, or the claim will not match the connection.
How the subsidies differ
The subsidy structures are not the same, so never copy one scheme's numbers into the other. Under PM Surya Ghar, the residential rooftop subsidy is ₹30,000/kW up to 2 kW plus ₹18,000 for the 3rd kW, with a ₹78,000 cap at 3 kW and above. The subsidy is paid to the household by direct benefit transfer after commissioning and net-metering.
PM-KUSUM works differently. There is no single flat ₹/kW rooftop figure across the scheme. Component A uses a power-purchase model. Components B and C use a central-plus-state share with a farmer contribution, and the split varies by state and mode. Treat all KUSUM figures as illustrative and verify the current splits with MNRE.
Why mixing the figures is a real risk
If you promise a farmer "₹78,000 for the pump," you have mixed two schemes. The ₹78,000 cap is a PM Surya Ghar rooftop figure, not a pump figure. A wrong promise costs you trust and can stall a claim. Quote each scheme on its own rules, and label every number as a scheme fact, not a guarantee.
Where the EPC fits in each scheme
An EPC can serve both schemes, but the work and the empanelment differ. Under PM Surya Ghar, you install the home rooftop, file the DISCOM and net-meter steps, and the household claims the subsidy. This is your standard residential pipeline.
Under PM-KUSUM, you build ground plants, standalone pumps or feeder solarisation under the component and tender rules. Different empanelment, different documents, different site work. A farm pump job is not a rooftop job with a new label. Plan crews, parts and timelines for each scheme on its own terms.
One family, two schemes, two jobs
A single farming family might want solar on the house and a solar pump in the field. That is two jobs under two schemes — PM Surya Ghar for the roof and PM-KUSUM for the pump. Sell both if you can serve both, but keep the quotes, claims and paperwork separate.
Common mix-ups to avoid
Most scheme confusion comes from treating one big "farmer solar scheme" as if it existed. It does not. Avoid these mix-ups and your rural quotes stay clean.
- Calling the pump a PM Surya Ghar item — pumps fall under PM-KUSUM, not PM Surya Ghar.
- Quoting the ₹78,000 cap for a pump — that cap is a residential rooftop figure only.
- Treating KUSUM splits as fixed — components and shares change; verify with MNRE.
- Assuming one empanelment covers both — the two schemes need separate paperwork.
- Skipping the connection check — confirm a residential connection before promising rooftop subsidy.
When in doubt, ask one question: home or farm? The answer points you to the right scheme. For the rooftop side, our subsidy slabs guide and the residential vs C&I guide keep the PM Surya Ghar numbers straight.
How SuryaHub helps you run both pipelines
Two schemes mean two sets of rules, and that is exactly where jobs slip. SuryaHub keeps each pipeline clean — PM Surya Ghar rooftop jobs with their DISCOM and net-metering steps, and farm solar jobs with their own paperwork — so you never quote the wrong scheme or mix the subsidy figures. The same platform tracks finance and GST across both. SuryaHub is pre-revenue; real pilots are Suryantra Energy and RGESPL, and figures here are scheme facts, not guarantees.
Keep rooftop and farm solar separate
See how SuryaHub runs each scheme's pipeline without mixing the rules.
Related guides
Frequently asked questions
Does PM Surya Ghar cover rural and agricultural households?+
Yes. PM Surya Ghar covers rooftop solar on the home of a rural or agricultural household, the same as any other residential home. PM Surya Ghar funds the house, not the farm pump or field. A rural family on a residential electricity connection can claim the rooftop subsidy.
What is the difference between PM Surya Ghar and PM-KUSUM?+
PM Surya Ghar funds residential rooftop solar on homes, including rural and agricultural households. PM-KUSUM is a separate MNRE scheme that funds agricultural solar — farm water pumps and ground-mounted plants on farm land. The two schemes have different beneficiaries and different subsidy structures, so verify each with MNRE.
Can a farmer get a solar pump under PM Surya Ghar?+
No. PM Surya Ghar does not fund solar pumps. PM Surya Ghar funds the rooftop on the farmer's home. Solar agriculture pumps fall under PM-KUSUM, a separate scheme. A farmer can use PM Surya Ghar for the house and PM-KUSUM for the pump, as two different applications.
What does PM-KUSUM actually fund?+
PM-KUSUM funds agricultural solar through three components: ground-mounted plants on barren or fallow farm land, standalone off-grid solar pumps, and the solarisation of existing grid-connected pumps and feeders. PM-KUSUM does not fund home rooftops. Verify the current component structure and subsidy splits with MNRE.
Where does an EPC fit between PM Surya Ghar and PM-KUSUM?+
An EPC installs rooftop systems under PM Surya Ghar and builds pumps, ground plants or feeder solarisation under PM-KUSUM. The two schemes need separate empanelment, paperwork and workflows. SuryaHub helps an EPC run both pipelines, though SuryaHub is pre-revenue with Suryantra Energy and RGESPL as pilots.
Are PM Surya Ghar and PM-KUSUM the same scheme?+
No. PM Surya Ghar and PM-KUSUM are two separate MNRE schemes with different goals, beneficiaries and funding. PM Surya Ghar targets home rooftops; PM-KUSUM targets agricultural solar. Do not mix their subsidy figures or eligibility rules. Always verify the current rules for each scheme with MNRE.
Sources & references
Scheme boundaries, components and subsidy figures come from primary government sources. PM-KUSUM components and rural add-ons change, so confirm the current rules for both schemes with MNRE before you quote.
- National Portal for PM Surya Ghar ↗
Residential rooftop scheme, eligibility and the subsidy structure.
- Ministry of New & Renewable Energy (MNRE) ↗
Guidelines for both PM Surya Ghar and PM-KUSUM.
- PM-KUSUM portal (MNRE) ↗
Components A, B and C for agricultural solar.
Written by the SuryaHub team · reviewed against MNRE, National Portal & PM-KUSUM sources · updated 19 June 2026.
Method: PM Surya Ghar and PM-KUSUM facts are taken from the government sources above and re-checked every 30 days. KUSUM components and splits are illustrative and change — verify with MNRE. SuryaHub is pre-revenue; only Suryantra Energy and RGESPL are real pilots.
Change log: 19 Jun 2026 — first published.