CM Punjab Solar Panel Scheme

The CM Punjab solar panel scheme gives free rooftop solar systems to low-consumption households, and the question most people search is the online apply last date. In April 2026 the Punjab government moved the scheme’s deadline to December 2026, so this page sets out what is confirmed from official notices and reputable news, what has not been announced, and how to apply or check your status without falling for fake portals.

What the CM Punjab solar panel scheme offers

The scheme launched by Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz is officially called the CM Punjab Free Solar Panel Scheme. It is not a loan and not a discount voucher. Selected households receive a complete small solar system installed on their roof, with the panels and inverter registered against the owner’s CNIC so they cannot be resold. The first phase was formally launched through digital balloting on 3 March 2025.

There are only two system sizes, and the size you get depends on how many units your house uses in a month:

Monthly use on your bill	System given	What it is made for
0 to 100 units	0.55 kW (550 watt)	Fans, LED lights, phone charging, a small fridge in daytime
101 to 200 units	1.1 kW (1,100 watt)	The above plus a larger fridge, washing machine or water pump in daytime

Confirmed numbers from the first phase, as reported by Dawn, Business Recorder and ARY News:

• About 94,483 systems in phase one, split roughly evenly between 0.55 kW and 1.1 kW
• A budget of close to Rs 10 billion
• More than 861,000 applications received before the first registration closed on 5 January 2025
• Physical verification of each house before installation, with work starting from the end of March 2025

In April 2026 the government announced that the deadline was extended by six months, to December 2026, and that the budget was increased to cover more families. Reports differ on whether that December date applies to new registrations or to completing installations, and no exact day has been published. Treat the official portal as the final word on whether new registrations are being accepted on the day you apply.

You may still see the old name “Roshan Gharana” on websites. That was the working name in 2024, when a 10% down payment option for homes using up to 500 units was discussed. That instalment version is not what was launched, so ignore any site asking you to pay a “registration fee” in its name.

Who is eligible

Eligibility is based on your electricity bill, not your income certificate. The rules published for the scheme, as reported by Business Recorder and ARY News, are:

• You must be a domestic consumer in Punjab on a single meter
• Average monthly use of 200 units or less, judged on your billing history (phase one used billing data up to June 2024)
• Sanctioned load of up to 2 kW, as printed on the bill
• Your bill category should be Life Line (up to 50 or 51 to 100 units), or Protected or Un-protected domestic in the 0 to 100 or 101 to 200 unit bands

You are not eligible if any of these apply:

• More than one meter at the same house
• A faulty, defective or tampered meter on record
• Any record of electricity theft
• Three or more late bill payments in the last 12 months

Two practical points matter more than the rules themselves. First, the meter should be in your name or a close family member’s name, because verification matches the CNIC to the reference number on the bill. If the bill is still in your late father’s or the previous owner’s name, get the name changed at your DISCO office first. Second, selection is by balloting, so meeting the criteria makes you eligible for the draw, not guaranteed a system. With over 861,000 applicants for fewer than 100,000 systems in phase one, most eligible households did not win.

Quick self-check from your own bill

Before you register, take your last 12 bills (or the bill history printed on the back of the current one) and run through these checks:

1. Look at the units column for each month. If most summer months are above 200 units, the system will likely reject you even if winter months are low.
2. Find “Sanctioned Load” near the top of the bill. It should read 2 kW or less.
3. Check the payment column for late payment surcharges. Three or more in a year rules you out.
4. Confirm the bill name and the CNIC you will use belong to the same family, ideally the same person.

If all four are fine, register. If one fails, fix what you can, such as changing the name on the meter, and keep an eye on the portal for any new phase.

Documents required

You do not upload a long list of papers. The scheme works off two numbers, and the rest is checked at your door.

Document	Why it is needed	Where to find it
CNIC of the applicant	Links the system to one person and blocks resale	Your NADRA card
Latest electricity bill	The 14-digit reference number identifies your meter, units and load	Top of your LESCO, FESCO, GEPCO, MEPCO, IESCO or other DISCO bill
Mobile number in your name	Ballot results and verification calls come by SMS	Any SIM registered to your CNIC
Email address (online route only)	Account verification on the portal	Any email you can open

Keep the original bill and CNIC ready for the physical verification visit. Teams check that the meter on the roof or wall matches the bill, that the house is lived in, and that there is shade-free roof space for the panels. A 0.55 kW system takes one panel’s worth of space or so; the 1.1 kW system needs room for two large plates.

How to apply online

There are two official routes. Both are free. Nobody from the government will ask you to pay a fee, send money by JazzCash or Easypaisa, or share an OTP.

Option 1: the official web portal

The portal is cmsolarscheme.punjab.gov.pk. Check the address carefully, because many look-alike sites with “.com” or “.pk” endings copy its name.

1. Open the portal and choose the option to register a new account.
2. Enter your name, CNIC, mobile number, email address and a password.
3. Open the verification email and confirm your account.
4. Sign in and enter the reference number from your electricity bill.
5. Check the details the system pulls from your DISCO record: name, units and sanctioned load.
6. Accept the undertaking and submit.
7. Note down or screenshot the confirmation shown at the end.

Option 2: SMS to 8800

If you do not use the internet, send an SMS to 8800 with your bill reference number, then a space, then your CNIC number without dashes. For example: 12345678901234 3520212345678. You should get a reply confirming that your request was received or telling you why it was rejected.

	Web portal	SMS 8800
Needs internet	Yes	No
Shows your bill data before submitting	Yes	No
Lets you track status later	Yes, from your account	By replying SMS only
Best for	Anyone with a smartphone	Elderly applicants, basic phones

A practical tip: apply from a mobile number registered to the same CNIC you enter. Mismatched numbers are a common reason for missed verification calls.

How to check your application status

After you apply, the process runs in this order: registration, data check against DISCO records, digital balloting, SMS to winners, physical verification, then installation.

1. Sign in to the portal with the same CNIC and password and open your application. It shows whether your record was accepted and whether you were selected in the ballot.
2. If you applied by SMS, watch for messages from 8800. Selected applicants are informed by SMS.
3. If you are selected, expect a call or visit from the verification team. Keep your bill and CNIC at hand.
4. If your status shows rejected, the usual reasons are units above 200, more than one meter, late payments, or a name mismatch.

Status you see	What it usually means	What to do
Registered / under process	Your data is waiting for checks or the next ballot	Nothing yet; keep your number active
Not eligible	Bill data failed a rule	Check units, load and payment history on your bill
Selected	You won the ballot	Wait for verification; do not pay anyone
Installed	System is on your roof	Keep the CNIC-linked warranty papers safe

A helpline was set up by the Punjab Energy Department for scheme queries, but we have not been able to confirm a current number from an official page, so we have not printed one here. Use the contact details shown on the official portal itself.

After the system is installed

• Ask the installation team to show you how to read the inverter screen, so you know when the panels are producing and when you are drawing from WAPDA.
• Wash the panels with plain water every one to two weeks in the dusty months. A dirty plate can lose a noticeable share of its output.
• Do not sell, move or open the equipment. It is registered to your CNIC, and tampering can be traced back to you.
• Run heavy appliances like the washing machine or pump around midday, when the system produces the most.

Scheme vs buying solar yourself

For a household under 200 units a month, a free 0.55 or 1.1 kW system is worth applying for. But it is a small system, the wait is long, and you have no choice of brand. Many families who need power now compare it with buying a small system on their own.

Point	CM Punjab free scheme	Buying solar yourself
Cost to you	Free if selected	You pay for panels, inverter and fitting
Size	0.55 kW or 1.1 kW only	Any size you can afford
Wait	Registration, ballot, verification, then installation; months at best	Usually a few days from order to fitting
Chance of getting it	Balloting; most applicants are not selected	Certain
Brand choice	Decided by the government tender	Your choice of Jinko, Longi, Canadian and others
Batteries	Do not count on one	Optional, at extra cost
Can you expand later	Not designed for it	Yes, if the inverter has room

For comparison, the panels alone for a 1 kW home setup using 550 watt plates cost about Rs 41,800 at today’s cheapest listed rate. That is before the inverter, structure and wiring. Our 1kW solar system price guide shows the full bill, and the solar panel calculator tells you what size your units actually need.

If your bill is above 200 units, you are not eligible for this scheme at all. In that case, look at buying with a bank or company plan on our solar panels on installments page, or compare other provincial and federal programmes on the solar panel scheme overview.

Confirmed vs not announced

Confirmed by official notice or reputable news	Not announced as of 8 October 2026
Free 0.55 kW and 1.1 kW systems	An exact day in December 2026 for the deadline
Up to 200 units, up to 2 kW load, single meter	Brand or model of panels and inverters used
Apply at cmsolarscheme.punjab.gov.pk or SMS 8800	Batteries with the system
Selection by digital balloting	Any official PDF form for offline application
Deadline extended to December 2026 (April 2026)	A scheme for homes above 200 units

There is no official PDF application form. Any “cm punjab solar panel scheme online apply pdf” file shared on WhatsApp is unofficial. Applications go through the portal or SMS only. For prices of the panels you would buy if you skip the scheme, see the solar panel price list.