The Ministry of New & Renewable Energy (MNRE) has clarified that those net metering residential consumers who give up central subsidy under the PM Surya Ghar: Muft Bijli Yojna (PMSG: MBY) will be exempt from purchasing solar panels only from companies listed under the Approved list for Models and Manufacturers (ALMM).Under the PMSG: MBY, residential consumers have the option to forgo the Central Financial Assistance (CFA) under the “Give It Up” campaign of the scheme, so that the scheme benefits can reach a wider cross-section of consumers.Residential net-metering consumers who opt for the “Give It Up” campaign will continue to be governed by the PMSG: MBY scheme guidelines, till the end of the scheme, March 31, 2027. These consumers have to mandatorily apply through the national portal.Net metering allows a consumer to generate solar power and sell it to the discom.“Representations have been received by the Ministry seeking clarification on whether consumers in the ‘Give It Up’ category under PMSG: MBY are exempt from ALMM List-II (for solar PV cells),” the Ministry said.In its response, the MNRE said that a harmonious reading of the office memorandum of May 25, 2026 and the PMSG: MBY scheme guidelines (June 7, 2024), it is further clarified that under PMSG: MBY, if any residential rooftop solar consumer is availing Net Metering with the option of ‘Give It UP’, he or she is exempted from applicability of ALMM list for solar PV cells.However, this option is only available till the end of the scheme period, March 31, 2027. It is also subject to the condition that such applications are made mandatorily through PMSG National Portal only.“Such projects need not apply separately on the (domestic content requirement) DCR Portal of the National Institute of Solar Energy (NISE) for claiming exemption from ALMM-II. Any other RTS projects shall not be covered within the ambit of this limited exemption and will be governed by the extant orders in place,” the MNRE pointed out.The clarification is a positive for those residential consumers, who opt out of the central subsidy in PMSG: MBY. This now allows them to compare from a larger set of solar PV panel manufacturers to choose the right model for their households.Meanwhile, the PMSG: MBY scheme has already crossed 40 lakh beneficiary households within 2 years and the MNRE now targets to surpass 75 lakh households by December 2026.Pralhad Joshi, the Minister for New & Renewable Energy, noted last week that more than 65 lakh applications are in the pipeline. Besides, the pace of adoption increased from 118 days to add one lakh households to less than eight days currently. Over ₹22,750 crore in subsidies has been dispersed, including ₹2,743 crore in May 2026 alone.Rooftop solar installations increased from about 7,000 per month before the scheme to over three lakh per month at present. More than 17 lakh households have achieved zero electricity bills.Published on June 11, 2026