Sai Sends Diwali Letter to Kawardha Farmer Who Cut Power Bill to Zero With Solar

Onkar Sahu, a farmer from Ramnagar in Kawardha, holds the ‘Vishnu Ki Paati’ letter in which Chief Minister Vishnu Deo Sai sends Diwali greetings and commends him for adopting rooftop solar. Photo: primelookindia.com via CG/DPR

In his ‘Vishnu Ki Paati’ message, the Chief Minister praised Onkar Sahu for adopting rooftop solar. The farmer says his household has earned about ₹9,000 by supplying surplus electricity to the grid.

Key Highlights

• Onkar Sahu installed a 3 kW rooftop solar system at his Ramnagar home in Kawardha under the PM Surya Ghar Muft Bijli Yojana.
• The installation cost ₹1.90 lakh, of which Sahu received ₹1.08 lakh as subsidy.
• Sahu says his monthly electricity bill, previously ₹1,000–₹1,500, has fallen to zero.

Raipur: Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Vishnu Deo Sai sent Diwali greetings to Kawardha farmer Onkar Sahu through a letter titled ‘Vishnu Ki Paati’, praising his decision to install rooftop solar panels at his home. Sahu, a resident of Ramnagar, says the system now meets his family’s electricity needs and generates surplus power that he supplies to the grid.

In his letter, Sai wrote that the PM Surya Ghar Muft Bijli Yojana was helping households benefit from solar energy. He said adopting clean energy could lower household expenses, support financial self-reliance and help protect the environment. The Chief Minister wished the Sahu family happiness and prosperity and expressed hope for a bright future for their children.

From a ₹1,500 Power Bill to Zero

Sahu installed the 3 kW system on 28 April 2025. The installation cost ₹1.90 lakh, and the ₹1.08 lakh subsidy brought his share of the cost to ₹82,000. He said his monthly electricity bill had ranged from ₹1,000 to ₹1,500 before the installation. It has since fallen to zero, he said.

Surplus Power Brings in About ₹9,000

Sahu said the panels generate more electricity than his household uses. The surplus goes into the grid, and he says he has received about ₹9,000 for the power supplied so far. For his family, the installation has meant both a lower household expense and income from electricity they do not use.

Sahu said receiving the Chief Minister’s Diwali letter was a matter of pride for his family. He said the savings had shown him the financial value of rooftop solar and that he also saw it as a way to help protect the environment.