NOIDA, Dec. 21 -- Residential electricity consumers of Gautam Budh Nagar can avail of financial incentive of up to Rs.1.08 lakh for installing rooftop solar panels under the "Pradhan Mantri Surya Ghar: Muft Bijli Yojana", officials said on Saturday. According to district officials, beneficiaries are eligible for direct benefit transfers (DBT) from the Centre as well the state government. Under the scheme, households installing solar systems of up to 1 kilowatt (kW) are entitled to a subsidy of Rs.30,000 from the Centre, while systems of up to 2kW attract Rs.60,000. For systems with a capacity of 3kW or more, the maximum Central subsidy has been capped at Rs.78,000. In addition to this, the state government will give an additional incentive of Rs.15,000 per kW for domestic consumers, up to a maximum capacity of 2kW. This translates into an additional subsidy of up to Rs.30,000 from the state government. With both components combined, eligible beneficiaries can receive financial assistance of up to Rs.1.08 lakh, officials said. The scheme aims to promote clean and affordable energy to consumers while also reducing their electricity bills by generating power through rooftop solar. Officials said the initiative also supports environmental conservation and energy self-reliance at the household level. "The objective of the scheme is to make households energy self-reliant by encouraging the use of clean and renewable energy", said in-charge project officer of the New and Renewable Energy Development Agency, Lavesh Kumar Sisodia. "Apart from reducing monthly electricity bills, surplus power generated through rooftop systems can also be supplied to the grid, allowing consumers to earn additional financial benefits," Sisodia added. Officials said the entire application process has been kept online to ensure transparency and ease for applicants. Interested residents can apply on www.pmsuryaghar.gov.in. The state subsidy will be released as per the prescribed procedure, they added. To be eligible, applicants must be Indian citizens, own a residential house in GB Nagar with suitable rooftop space and have a valid domestic electricity connection. The scheme, officials said, is intended exclusively for residential consumers....