Nagpur: The district has emerged as a national rooftop solar powerhouse, installing 89,255 projects to clinch second place in India and top rank in Maharashtra under the Prime Minister Surya Ghar Muft Bijli Yojana over the last two years. Nagpur’s performance was also pivotal in Maharashtra bagging a record eight awards from the Union Ministry of New and Renewable Energy for the scheme’s implementation.Besides Nagpur, two more districts from Maharashtra featured in the national top 10 list, underscoring the state’s dominance in the renewable energy initiative. Jalgaon ranked ninth with 42,574 installations, while Pune secured the 10th spot with 42,151 projects.The awards were presented at a national conference held at Atal Akshay Urja Bhawan in New Delhi on Thursday. Lucknow bagged the top rank nationally with around 1.2 lakh solar rooftops installations.At the state level, Maharashtra commissioned rooftop solar projects on 6.05 lakh homes in the last two years, securing second place nationally. Gujarat leads the country with 6.81 lakh installations, while Uttar Pradesh is third with 5.64 lakh projects.Maharashtra also excelled in the ministry’s ‘Month of Solar’ campaign conducted in May 2026. The state received 65,786 applications and commissioned 54,246 rooftop solar systems during the month, earning second place in both categories. On May 29, when a record 15,000 rooftop solar projects were installed across India in a single day, Maharashtra alone accounted for 4,700 installations, the highest in the country.Officials from Maharashtra State Electricity Distribution Company Ltd (MSEDCL) said Nagpur’s strong performance reflects the growing acceptance of rooftop solar systems among households and the extensive efforts undertaken by the utility to facilitate installations and consumer participation. The district has consistently remained among the leading regions in the state since the launch of the scheme in Feb 2024.The state also topped the nation in inspecting 69,156 solar projects and secured second place with registration of 413 vendors, reinforcing its leadership in the PM Surya Ghar scheme. Nagpur’s contribution was central to this achievement, placing the district firmly among India’s solar frontrunners.
