India, Dec. 2 -- Despite being renewable energy powerhouses, southern states like Tamil Nadu and Karnataka are among India's weakest performers in installing rooftop solar on government buildings, data presented by the Union Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE) to Parliament shows - a surprising gap for two states that together account for some of the country's largest solar and wind capacities.

Under the PM Surya Ghar: Muft Bijli Yojana, states have been asked to solarise every eligible public building. Yet as of November 4, 2025, Tamil Nadu installed just 13.64 megawatt (MW) of rooftop solar across 1,489 government buildings, while Karnataka stands at 33.68 MW across 2,624 buildings. These figures place both southern states far ...