Under a scheme to be announced next month, the government will bear 30 percent of the cost of installing solar panels on household rooftops. The ministry of new and renewable energy hopes that this scheme will help it achieve the target of 1,000 MW of solar energy by 2013 under the Jawaharlal Nehru National Solar Mission (JNNSM), a report in The Hindustan Times said.

Gujarat and West Bengal are the two states that already provide 20 percent subsidy to those who install solar panels. Delhi will also provide additional subsidy once the new guidelines are out. Chief minister Sheila Dikshit’s home will be the first to switch to solar power, Vivek Singla, senior official with North Delhi Power Limited (NDPL), said.

A set of solar photovoltaic panels that can meet the energy needs of an average family living in a 1,200 square foot dwelling costs around Rs 2 lakh.