PM Suryaghar for Society Flat Owners — Common Area Rules 2026

If you own a flat inside a registered cooperative housing society or a Resident Welfare Association (RWA) building, the question we hear most often is simple — “Can I even claim the ₹78,000 PM Suryaghar subsidy when my roof is shared?” The answer in 2026 is yes, but the rules are layered. An individual flat owner with a properly drafted No Objection Certificate (NOC) and exclusive roof rights still receives the full ₹78,000 central subsidy. The society itself, applying for common-area loads — lifts, lobby lights, water pumps, basement ventilation — claims a separate Resident Welfare Association rate of ₹18,000 per kW, stacked on top of any individual flat-owner subsidies. The two are not mutually exclusive, and a well-structured project uses both. About 35% of the Heaven Green Energy installations in Mumbai now run through this hybrid route.

This guide walks through every legitimate path a society flat owner can take, the exact NOC format Distribution Companies (DISCOMs) accept, the state-by-state rules for Maharashtra Real Estate Regulatory Authority (MahaRERA) and the Gujarat Cooperative Societies Act 1973 (GSCS), and the specific rejection patterns we see in society applications across Mumbai, Pune, and Bengaluru high-rises.

Direct answer. A society flat owner with exclusive terrace rights and a valid society NOC claims the full ₹78,000 PM Suryaghar subsidy as an individual residential consumer. The society itself can separately apply for the RWA / Group Housing subsidy at ₹18,000 per kW for common-area loads, capped at total dwelling units × 3 kW notional. Both subsidies stack legally — individual flats receive central DBT, society receives RWA DBT, and the projects can share the same rooftop structure.

If you’re sitting at an Annual General Meeting (AGM) trying to convince a sceptical managing committee that solar is feasible, the four-path framework below is the cleanest way to map out which flats benefit from which subsidy stream — and why a hybrid almost always beats either pure approach.

Can Society Flat Owners Get the PM Suryaghar Subsidy?

Yes — and the misconception that “flats don’t qualify” comes from a misreading of early 2024 scheme notifications. The PM Suryaghar Muft Bijli Yojana, as updated by the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE) through its 2025 operational guidelines, explicitly recognises three consumer categories that society flat owners fall under: individual residential consumers with exclusive roof rights, individual residential consumers using a shared rooftop with a society NOC, and group housing societies / RWAs applying for common-area loads.

The eligibility test for a flat owner is straightforward. First, your flat must have a separate domestic electricity connection in your name on a Distribution Company bill — not a sub-meter routed through the society’s master connection. Second, the society must permit you to install panels on the building rooftop, either as a designated terrace right written into your sale deed or via a formal NOC issued by the Managing Committee. Third, the proposed solar capacity must match or fall under your sanctioned load on the DISCOM connection.

Where it gets interesting is the second eligibility — many cooperative societies originally allocated terrace rights to top-floor flat owners through informal society resolutions, but those informal allocations are now treated as binding by most state cooperative registrars when supported by an AGM minute and registered building plan. Maharashtra’s MahaRERA goes further, mandating in its 2023 model bye-laws that common-area improvements including solar are decided by a special resolution requiring two-thirds majority — not a blocking veto from a single owner.

The RWA route is a separate application channel. Here, the society itself becomes the applicant, the connection is the common-area meter (lifts, pumps, lighting), and the subsidy of ₹18,000 per kW is capped at the lesser of: actual installed capacity or total dwelling units × 3 kW notional. A 60-flat society can thus claim subsidy on up to 180 kW of common-area solar — well above what most building rooftops can structurally hold. For Mumbai-specific rules and the Tata Power / Adani Electricity application route, see our PM Suryaghar Mumbai process guide.

The practical answer in 2026: between the individual flat route and the RWA route, almost every legitimate housing society in India qualifies for some form of PM Suryaghar support. The execution complexity sits in the documentation — getting the NOC right, getting the AGM resolution recorded properly, and matching the right path to the right rooftop.

The 4-Path Society Flat Solar Decision Tree

Across the hundreds of housing-society projects we’ve handled, a single decision tree separates the projects that finish in 90 days from the ones that drag into committee disputes for a year. We call it The 4-Path Society Flat Solar Decision Tree. The tree starts with one question — who actually owns the roof rights — and branches into four executable paths. Pick the wrong path early and you waste committee goodwill on a rework. Pick the right one and the subsidy disbursement is essentially deterministic.

The four paths exist because Indian cooperative housing law treats rooftops in three different ways: as a common amenity owned proportionally by all members, as an exclusive right deeded to specific flats (often penthouse or top-floor units), or as a shared resource that the society may license under a usage agreement. Add to that the MNRE’s bifurcated subsidy structure — individual ₹78,000 vs RWA ₹18,000/kW — and you land on four legitimate combinations.

Path 1 — Individual Flat NOC Route

A single flat owner installs solar on a portion of the rooftop allocated by society NOC. The flat owner files PM Suryaghar as an individual residential consumer, receives the full ₹78,000 subsidy, and the system feeds power into the flat’s domestic meter via a dedicated DC cable run. Best for top-floor flats or buildings where one or two owners take the initiative and the rest of the society is indifferent.

Path 2 — Full RWA / Society Common-Area Application

The society applies as the consumer entity, the connection is the common-area meter, and the subsidy is ₹18,000/kW capped at dwelling-units × 3 kW notional. Net metering credits flow only to the common-area meter — they reduce the society’s lift/pump/lighting bill, not individual flat bills. Best when the building has high common-area consumption (lifts in 12-storey towers, large basement pumps, lobby air-conditioning).

Path 3 — Common Area + Multiple Flat Owners (Hybrid)

The largest projects use this. The society installs a sizeable common-area system claiming ₹18,000/kW, and individual flat owners simultaneously install separate sub-systems on the same rooftop claiming ₹78,000 each. Two separate net-meter connections, two separate subsidy DBTs, one shared mounting structure and earthing infrastructure. Cost-split is usually proportional — common-area cost spread across all flats per dwelling unit or per square foot, individual systems funded by participating flat owners only.

Path 4 — Society as Aggregator / Group Application

Less common in 2026 but legally available: the society aggregates multiple flat owners’ applications under a single project envelope, with the society acting as the AMC and O&M coordinator. Each flat owner still claims ₹78,000 individually, but procurement, vendor management, and DISCOM coordination are pooled through the Managing Committee. Best for large townships where 20-50 flat owners want to opt in simultaneously and the society wants to avoid 50 separate vendor relationships on the building.

Path	Applicant	Subsidy Rate	Net Meter Beneficiary	Best for
Path 1 — Individual NOC	Flat owner	₹78,000 (full central)	Individual flat meter	Top-floor flats; small-scale rollouts
Path 2 — Full RWA	Society / RWA	₹18,000/kW (common-area)	Common-area meter	High common-area loads; low flat-owner interest
Path 3 — Hybrid	Society + flat owners	Both stacked	Both meters separately	Maximum subsidy capture; large rooftops
Path 4 — Aggregator	Each flat owner	₹78,000 each	Each flat meter	Townships, 20+ flat owners simultaneously

Path 1: Individual Flat Solar with Society NOC

This is the most common path for a single motivated flat owner — typically a top-floor resident in a four-to-eight-storey building who wants to install 3-5 kW on a portion of the terrace and feed it into their flat’s meter. The process mirrors a standalone residential PM Suryaghar application with one extra document: the society NOC.

The application flow is identical to the standard portal route documented in our PM Suryaghar complete guide. You register on pmsuryaghar.gov.in, select your state and DISCOM, enter your consumer number, choose system capacity (1-3 kW for full ₹78,000 capture), and upload the standard document set — paid bill, Aadhaar, cancelled cheque, ownership proof, roof photograph. The NOC slots in as an additional ownership-proof attachment that replaces a sale-deed-only submission for flat owners.

The roof allocation works one of two ways. If your sale deed already grants exclusive terrace rights to your flat (common for penthouse units), you attach the deed and a sketch showing the proportional area. If your sale deed is silent, the society NOC must explicitly grant you the exclusive use of a defined rooftop area — usually expressed in square feet — for solar installation. DISCOMs generally accept either format, but the NOC must be unambiguous about which square metres of roof your panels will occupy.

Cable routing is the other detail flat owners underestimate. The DC string from rooftop panels to your inverter — which sits inside or just outside your flat — needs to run through the society’s vertical shaft, electrical riser, or external conduit. The society NOC should explicitly permit this routing. We’ve seen Maharashtra societies issue a perfect rooftop NOC and then block the cable run six weeks later, forcing the installer to reroute through external conduit at a 40% cost premium. Spell out the cable route in the NOC.

For load and meter coordination — DISCOMs require the rooftop solar capacity to be at most the sanctioned load on your flat’s connection. A 3 kW system needs at least 3 kW sanctioned load on your flat’s electricity meter. If your flat’s sanctioned load is only 2 kW, you file a load enhancement application with your DISCOM in parallel; this adds 15-25 days but is essential before solar feasibility approval. Bengaluru flats served by BESCOM and Mumbai flats under Adani Electricity both follow this rule with no exceptions.

After feasibility approval, installation proceeds as normal: ALMM-listed panels, Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) certified inverter, IS 3043 earthing, net-meter inspection, and DBT disbursement to your Aadhaar-linked bank account within 30 days of commissioning. Total timeline from application to subsidy: 75-110 days for Path 1, of which 21 days on average is the NOC issuance time.

State	NOC Source Required	Special Document	Notes
Maharashtra	Society MC (Chairman + Secretary)	MahaRERA model bye-law extract for new buildings	Two-thirds AGM for common areas
Gujarat	Society MC under GSCS 1973	Society registration certificate	AGM resolution required for terrace allocation
Karnataka	Apartment Association / RWA	Bye-law extract on common areas	KSPCB clearance for buildings above 15 m
Delhi NCR	RWA Governing Body	DDA / society registration proof	Discretion of building society/AOA
Tamil Nadu	Flat Owners’ Association	Registration under TN Apartment Ownership Act	AGM resolution preferred

Path 2: Full RWA / Society Application — Common Area Only

When the building’s common-area electricity bill is the biggest line item — typically true for any tower above eight storeys with two lifts and basement pumps — the society itself becomes the applicant. This is Path 2, and the subsidy mechanics differ meaningfully from individual flat applications.

The applicable rate is ₹18,000 per kW, not the slab-based ₹30,000 / ₹60,000 / ₹78,000 used for individual residential connections. The cap is dwelling units × 3 kW notional. A 60-flat building can therefore claim subsidy on up to 180 kW of common-area solar, which translates into a maximum subsidy of ₹32.4 lakh. In practice, common-area consumption rarely justifies installations above 50-80 kW for buildings under 100 flats — so the cap is academic for most projects but does matter for large townships and high-rise complexes above 200 flats.

The applicant is the society’s registered legal entity — the Cooperative Housing Society in Maharashtra registered under the Maharashtra Cooperative Societies Act 1960, the registered society under GSCS 1973 in Gujarat, or the Apartment Owners’ Association in states with state-specific apartment legislation. The application is filed by the Managing Committee on behalf of the membership, supported by an AGM or Special General Meeting resolution authorising the project, the capital expenditure source, and the cost-allocation method.

DISCOMs scrutinise four documents at the feasibility stage. The society registration certificate proves legal standing as the consumer. The AGM resolution proves member consent — typically requiring a two-thirds vote under most state bye-laws for capital improvements above ₹5 lakh. Audited accounts for the last two financial years prove the society can fund its share of the cost (or service a loan). The member list with flat numbers proves the dwelling-unit count used to compute the subsidy cap.

Net metering for Path 2 is the detail many committees miss. The bi-directional meter is installed on the common-area connection — usually the meter feeding the lift panel, basement pump room, and lobby lighting circuits. Surplus units are credited against the common-area bill, which reduces the monthly maintenance bill paid by all members. Individual flat meters do not see any direct credit. This is a feature, not a bug — the savings reach every flat owner through reduced maintenance charges rather than reduced personal electricity bills, which is structurally fairer for non-participating ground-floor flats.

Cost-split methodology is set by the AGM resolution. The three common approaches we see in our installations:

1. Per dwelling unit (equal split) — total project cost divided by flat count; each flat pays the same. Simple, AGM-friendly, but ignores flat sizes.
2. Per square foot of carpet area — total cost allocated proportionally to carpet area; larger 3-BHK flats pay more than 1-BHK flats. Used when the society has wide flat-size variation.
3. Per dwelling × actual common-area benefit — heavier weight on flats above the 8th floor (who use lifts more). Mathematically rigorous but politically harder at AGM.

For the Mumbai Tata Power and Adani Electricity territories, the RWA application flow includes one extra step — DISCOM submits the project to the Maharashtra Electricity Regulatory Commission (MERC) for net-metering approval above 100 kW. The timeline adds 30-45 days for projects in that capacity band. See our PM Suryaghar best Mumbai process guide for the Mumbai-specific submission queue.

Path 3: Common Area + Multiple Flat Owners (Hybrid)

Path 3 is the highest-yield route and the one we recommend for any building above six storeys where at least three flat owners are willing to participate alongside the society. The structure looks like this: the society applies for Path 2 (₹18,000/kW for common-area loads), and participating flat owners simultaneously apply for Path 1 (₹78,000 each for their individual flat connections). Two separate connection points, two separate net-meter installations, one shared mounting structure, one shared earthing system, one site visit, one inspection cycle.

Why this works economically: the society’s common-area subsidy at ₹18,000/kW covers roughly 20-22% of the per-kW project cost, while the individual ₹78,000 fixed subsidy covers 38-45% of a 3 kW system cost. By stacking both, the average subsidy intensity across the whole rooftop project lands in the 28-32% range — meaningfully higher than either Path 1 or Path 2 alone. Shared structural costs further compress the per-kW installed cost by ₹6,000-₹9,000 because mounting, balance-of-system, and cable trays are built once.

The catch is the AGM choreography. Every participating flat owner must have their NOC issued, their roof allocation documented, and their PM Suryaghar application filed roughly in parallel with the society’s Path 2 application. If individual flat applications lag the society timeline, DISCOMs sometimes treat the entire rooftop as committed to the society’s common-area project and reject subsequent individual claims for “roof already allocated.” We coordinate all applications inside a single 30-day filing window.

Cost-split scenarios for hybrid projects need three layers, not one. The common-area system cost is split across all flats (per dwelling unit or per square foot). The individual systems are funded by participating flat owners only. And the shared infrastructure — mounting structure, earthing, cable trays, lightning protection — is usually split 60/40 between common-area allocation and individual participants, on the principle that it serves both. The exact split is decided in the AGM resolution and recorded in the society’s books for tax and audit purposes.

Scenario	Common-area system	Individual flats	Total kW	Combined subsidy
Small society — 24 flats, 8 storeys	15 kW	4 flats × 3 kW = 12 kW	27 kW	₹2.70L + ₹3.12L = ₹5.82L
Mid society — 60 flats, 14 storeys	40 kW	10 flats × 3 kW = 30 kW	70 kW	₹7.20L + ₹7.80L = ₹15.00L
Large society — 120 flats, 22 storeys	80 kW	20 flats × 3 kW = 60 kW	140 kW	₹14.40L + ₹15.60L = ₹30.00L
Township — 240 flats, multi-tower	180 kW (cap)	40 flats × 3 kW = 120 kW	300 kW	₹32.40L + ₹31.20L = ₹63.60L

Get a free society solar project plan. Heaven Green Energy’s society project team will walk your AGM through the 4-path framework, draft the AGM resolution language, prepare the NOC template, and run the joint application across the society and participating flats inside a single 30-day window. Get your free quote →

The economic case at the AGM is almost always the deciding factor. A 70 kW hybrid project in a 60-flat mid-rise generates roughly 1,05,000 kWh per year. At Mumbai’s commercial common-area tariff of ₹12-₹14/kWh, that’s annual savings of ₹13-₹14 lakh — combined across the common-area meter (society) and individual flat meters (participating owners). Combined post-subsidy payback for such projects sits at 3.2-3.8 years in our 2025 cohort.

What a Valid Society NOC Looks Like

The single document that derails the most society solar applications is a poorly drafted NOC. DISCOM officers in Mumbai, Pune, and Bengaluru have seen every variant of typed-up letters claiming to be society NOCs, and they reject anything that doesn’t meet four specific tests. A valid NOC must be on society letterhead with the printed society name, registration number, and registered address, must be signed by both the Chairman and the Secretary (or two equivalent authorised office-bearers), must explicitly mention the proposed solar capacity in kW and the allocated rooftop area in square metres or square feet, and must reference the AGM or Managing Committee resolution number and date that authorised the allocation.

The format below is the template we provide to societies. It is drafted to satisfy DISCOMs across Maharashtra, Gujarat, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, and Delhi NCR.

[Society Letterhead — Name, Registration Number, Address]

Date: __________
Ref: NOC/SOLAR/[year]/[serial]

NO OBJECTION CERTIFICATE — ROOFTOP SOLAR INSTALLATION

To Whom It May Concern,

This is to certify that [Society Name], registered under the
[Applicable Cooperative Societies Act] vide registration number
[xxx] dated [DD-MM-YYYY], has no objection to Mr./Mrs. [Flat Owner
Full Name], owner of Flat No. [xxx], [wing/block], installing a
rooftop solar photovoltaic system of capacity [x.x] kW on an
allocated rooftop area of approximately [xxx] square feet on the
terrace of the said building.

The allocation has been approved by the [Managing Committee /
Annual General Meeting] vide resolution number [xxx] dated
[DD-MM-YYYY], a certified copy of which is attached.

The society further grants permission for:
1. Routing of DC and AC cabling through the building's electrical
   riser / external conduit as required.
2. Installation of the inverter at [location].
3. Periodic maintenance access to the rooftop for the consumer
   and authorised installer.

This NOC is issued for the purpose of the PM Suryaghar Muft Bijli
Yojana application and is valid for 24 months from the date of
issue.

For [Society Name],

____________________            ____________________
Chairman                        Secretary
Name:                           Name:
Signature & Seal                Signature & Seal

For a printable, fill-in-the-blank NOC and AGM resolution template, download our Suryaghar document checklist PDF. Get the NOC drafted before you start the PM Suryaghar portal application — uploading a deficient NOC and re-submitting wastes 14-21 days per cycle.

Common Society Flat Application Rejection Reasons

Across the society and society-flat applications we tracked through 2024-25, rejections cluster around eight repeat patterns. These are all preventable — most are documentation defects, not technical or feasibility issues.

1. 1
   NOC missing AGM resolution reference. DISCOM requires both the NOC and the underlying AGM/MC resolution copy. Letter-only NOCs are rejected.
2. 2
   Single-signatory NOC. NOCs signed only by the Secretary (or only by the Chairman) are rejected — both office-bearers must sign.
3. 3
   Society registration number absent. DISCOM verifies society legal status against the state Cooperative Registrar database — registration number is mandatory.
4. 4
   Capacity in NOC does not match portal application. If the NOC says 3 kW but the portal application is for 5 kW, the application fails feasibility.
5. 5
   Sanctioned load less than proposed capacity. Common for older flats with 2 kW sanctioned. File a load enhancement before solar application.
6. 6
   RWA application without audited accounts. Path 2 / RWA submissions need last two financial years of audited accounts; un-audited statements are rejected.
7. 7
   Roof load capacity not certified. High-rise PCC overlays sometimes fail; DISCOM may demand a structural engineer certificate for buildings above 7 storeys.
8. 8
   Aadhaar-bank seeding missing. Direct Benefit Transfer fails if the applicant's bank account is not Aadhaar-seeded. Confirm via UIDAI seeding portal before applying.

For the full taxonomy of rejection causes across all residential and group housing applications — including state-specific failure modes — read our PM Suryaghar rejection reasons guide.

Cost, ROI, and Bill Savings for Flats vs Common Areas

The economics for society flat solar split into two distinct calculations — individual flat ROI (Path 1) and common-area ROI (Path 2 / Path 3 society-side). They behave differently because the underlying tariffs are different. Individual flats run on residential domestic slabs (₹6-₹10/kWh blended); common-area connections in most metros run on commercial or “common services” tariffs that climb to ₹11-₹14/kWh in Mumbai and Pune. Higher tariff means faster payback on the common-area side, even though the per-kW subsidy is lower.

System type	Size	All-in cost	Post-subsidy	Annual generation	Annual savings	Payback
Individual flat (Path 1)	3 kW	₹1.85L	₹1.07L	4,200 kWh	₹29,500	3.6 yrs
RWA common-area (Path 2)	25 kW	₹14.5L	₹10.0L	35,000 kWh	₹4.55L	2.2 yrs
RWA common-area (Path 2)	50 kW	₹27.5L	₹18.5L	70,000 kWh	₹9.10L	2.0 yrs
Hybrid project (Path 3)	70 kW	₹38L	₹23.0L	1.05L kWh	₹13.50L	1.7 yrs
Hybrid township (Path 3)	300 kW	₹1.55Cr	₹91L	4.5L kWh	₹58L	1.6 yrs

Assumptions: 5.0-5.4 peak sun hours/day, 75% performance ratio, blended residential tariff ₹7/kWh, common-area commercial tariff ₹13/kWh, 25-year system life, 0.5%/year degradation. For an interactive calculation matched to your specific bill and building, use the Heaven Green solar calculator.

Verdict. For any housing society above eight storeys with two or more lifts and basement pumps, Path 3 (hybrid) is mathematically the strongest path. Common-area payback of under 2.2 years and individual-flat payback of 3.6 years sit inside the same project envelope, sharing structural cost and inspection cycles. The single-flat Path 1 is the right entry point for buildings where only one or two owners are ready to move; everywhere else, the RWA AGM should authorise a hybrid project from day one.

How Heaven Green Energy Helps Society Installations

Heaven Green Energy is MNRE-empanelled across all PM Suryaghar territories and has handled hundreds of society and flat-owner installations across Mumbai (Adani Electricity and Tata Power), Pune (MSEDCL), and Bengaluru (BESCOM) high-rises. Our society project team has a dedicated AGM-presentation track for Managing Committees that includes the full 4-path framework presentation, draft AGM resolution language, NOC templates, structural load assessment, and joint-application coordination across the society and participating flats.

What we handle end-to-end for society projects:

• AGM-ready project presentation. A one-hour deck covering the 4-path framework, financials, NOC mechanics, and member contribution split — ready to share with the Managing Committee one week before the AGM.
• Document drafting. AGM resolution, NOC template, member contribution agreement, and the audited-accounts statement for the PM Suryaghar portal.
• Structural certification. Site survey by our empanelled structural engineer with roof-load report acceptable to all major DISCOMs.
• Joint application coordination. Society Path 2 application plus up to 50 individual flat-owner Path 1 applications filed inside a single 30-day window.
• ALMM-listed panels and BIS-certified inverters. Tier-1 Adani, Waaree, or Tata panels; never off-list imports.
• 25-year O&M. Single O&M contract covers both common-area and individual systems, billed to the society with member-wise cost transparency.

Explore the services that match your society project:

• Residential Solar — individual flat-owner installations, 1-10 kW with PM Suryaghar subsidy end-to-end.
• Commercial Solar — society common-area and large group housing systems above 10 kW.
• Solar Calculator — model your society’s combined subsidy and savings in under 60 seconds.
• Contact Heaven Green Energy — book a site visit for your Managing Committee.

For Mumbai society projects specifically — Adani Electricity territory across the western and northern suburbs and Tata Power across the southern and central wards — see our city-specific application walkthrough in PM Suryaghar Mumbai. For step-by-step screenshots of the national portal society application, see how to apply for PM Suryaghar online.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can a single flat owner in a society apply for the full ₹78,000 PM Suryaghar subsidy?

Yes. A flat owner with a domestic electricity connection in their own name, exclusive or allocated terrace rights through a sale deed or society NOC, and matching sanctioned load can claim the full ₹78,000 central subsidy for a 3 kW or larger system. The flat owner is treated as an individual residential consumer under the MNRE scheme — the only extra documentation requirement compared to a standalone house owner is the society NOC supported by an AGM or Managing Committee resolution.

Does the society itself need to apply for solar, or can each flat owner apply separately?

Both routes work and can run simultaneously. The society applies separately if the project covers common-area loads (lifts, lobby lighting, pumps) — this is Path 2, with a subsidy of ₹18,000 per kW. Individual flat owners apply separately for their own flat connections — this is Path 1, with the full ₹78,000 central subsidy. Path 3 combines both on the same rooftop, sharing structural costs while keeping the subsidy applications separate. The hybrid path captures the most subsidy and is the most cost-efficient.

What exactly does the society NOC need to contain to be accepted by DISCOMs?

The NOC must be on the society’s official letterhead with printed name, registration number, and registered address. It must be signed by both the Chairman and the Secretary (or two equivalent authorised office-bearers) with signatures, names, and society seal. It must explicitly state the proposed solar capacity in kW, the rooftop area allocated in square feet, the AGM or Managing Committee resolution number and date authorising the allocation, and permission for cable routing through the building’s electrical riser. Single-signatory NOCs and letter-only NOCs without resolution references are routinely rejected.

How is the ₹18,000 per kW RWA subsidy calculated and capped?

The RWA / Group Housing Society rate is ₹18,000 per kW of installed common-area solar capacity, capped at the lesser of actual installed kW or total dwelling units multiplied by 3 kW notional. A 60-flat society can therefore claim subsidy on up to 180 kW of common-area solar, for a maximum subsidy of ₹32.4 lakh. The subsidy is disbursed via DBT to the society’s bank account after the DISCOM commissions the bi-directional net meter on the common-area connection.

What happens at the AGM — what resolution does the society need to pass?

The AGM resolution must authorise three things: the rooftop solar project itself (Path 2 / 3 capacity and budget), the cost-split methodology among members (per dwelling unit, per square foot, or per benefit), and the allocation of specific rooftop areas to individual flat owners for Path 1 installations if applicable. Under most state cooperative bye-laws, capital improvements above ₹5 lakh require a two-thirds majority. The resolution must be recorded in the AGM minutes with member-wise voting and shared with DISCOM as a certified copy.

Does net metering benefit individual flat owners in a Path 2 RWA application?

No — in a pure Path 2 application, the bi-directional meter is installed on the common-area electricity connection, and net-metering credits reduce the common-area bill paid by the society. The savings reach individual flat owners indirectly through reduced monthly maintenance charges, not through reduced personal electricity bills. To get net-metering credits on individual flat meters, flat owners need to file Path 1 applications separately for their own flat connections — Path 3 hybrid projects do exactly this on the same rooftop.

Are there special structural requirements for high-rise buildings under PM Suryaghar?

For buildings above 7 storeys, DISCOMs increasingly ask for a structural engineer’s certificate confirming the rooftop can carry the additional dead load and wind load of the solar array (typically 20-25 kg/m² for crystalline panel arrays with aluminium mounting). RCC slabs almost always pass; the failure mode is PCC overlays and china-mosaic waterproofing layers under point loads from the mounting structure feet. The structural certificate also covers cyclone and wind-zone compliance in coastal cities like Mumbai and Chennai.

Can flats in non-registered societies or Apartment Owners’ Associations apply?

Yes, but the documentation differs. Karnataka and Tamil Nadu use Apartment Owners’ Associations registered under state-specific apartment ownership acts; Delhi NCR uses RWAs registered under the Societies Registration Act. The DISCOM’s requirement is proof of legal entity status and an AGM-equivalent member-consent resolution authorising the rooftop allocation. Informal or unregistered apartment groups cannot file Path 2 RWA applications but can still file individual Path 1 applications with NOCs from the building’s office-bearers, supported by ownership documentation.

How long does the full society solar project take from AGM to subsidy disbursement?

For Heaven Green Energy assisted projects, the typical timeline from AGM resolution to subsidy DBT runs 75-110 days. The breakdown: NOC and document drafting 5-7 days, portal application 1-2 days, DISCOM feasibility approval 14-25 days, installation 15-25 days for hybrid projects, net-meter inspection and commissioning 10-14 days, DBT disbursement 25-30 days post-commissioning. DIY routes typically run 140-180 days because of NOC iteration cycles and rejection re-submissions.

What if some flat owners object to the society solar project at the AGM?

A two-thirds majority is sufficient under most state cooperative bye-laws — individual objectors cannot block the project. However, the cost-split methodology should accommodate non-participating flats fairly. For Path 2 common-area projects, all members benefit through reduced maintenance bills and all should contribute proportionally (which is fair). For Path 1 individual flat installations, only participating owners pay and only their flat meters benefit. Path 3 hybrid projects separate the two streams cleanly — non-participating flats only contribute to the common-area portion through the maintenance-bill mechanism.