LAHORE: Chief Minister Punjab Maryam Nawaz Sharif has officially launched the Chief Minister Punjab Free Solar Panel Scheme by conducting an automatic digital balloting to select beneficiaries.
During the ceremony, the CM announced the results of the transparent digital balloting process and congratulated the successful applicants. She directed authorities to accelerate the installation process to provide immediate relief from expensive electricity to the public.
“We want to give maximum relief to people struggling with costly electricity bills — there should be no delay in implementing this scheme,” she emphasized.
Solar Panel Installation Timeline
It was informed that after physical verification, the installation of solar systems will begin across Punjab by the end of March and the first phase will be completed by July 2025.
Under the scheme, 94,483 solar systems will be installed in the first phase for domestic consumers using up to 200 units per month. Out of 861,000 applicants, those selected through the balloting will receive free solar systems, with the entire process digitized from application to installation.
Breakdown of Solar Systems
- 47,182 systems of 0.55 kW for consumers using up to 100 units per month
- 47,301 systems of 1.1 kW for consumers using up to 200 units per month
Consumers will be verified through their reference number and CNIC listed on electricity bills.
Anti-Theft Protection & Environmental Impact
To prevent theft, each solar system and inverter will be linked to the beneficiary’s CNIC. A dedicated helpline has also been set up to guide and assist consumers.
The project is expected to significantly contribute to environmental sustainability, with the installation of 100,000 solar systems estimated to reduce carbon emissions by 57,000 tonnes.
Secretary Energy briefed the CM, highlighting that the scheme represents a milestone initiative to promote clean energy solutions and provide financial relief to low-income households.
