Govt revises proof requirements for defect rectification under PMSGMBY

By Staff Report October 14, 2026 6:55 pm IST

The revised instructions mandate geo-tagged and time-stamped photographs, consumer acknowledgement, equipment serial number details and prescribed warranty documentation to strengthen transparency and traceability.

The Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE) has introduced detailed documentation and verification requirements for rooftop solar vendors rectifying defects identified during third-party inspections under the PM Surya Ghar Muft Bijli Yojana. The revised instructions mandate geo-tagged and time-stamped photographs, consumer acknowledgement, equipment serial number details and prescribed warranty documentation to strengthen transparency and traceability.

Under the updated procedure, defects identified during third-party inspections are assigned to vendors through the FQI Defect Section of the vendor portal. Vendors must submit rectification evidence within 15 days through their main vendor login, as the facility is not accessible through sub-logins.

Following rectification, vendors are required to update the status of each defect, provide remarks and upload supporting evidence. Photographs submitted as proof must be geo-tagged and time-stamped, although supporting documents are exempt from these requirements.

The instructions also address cases where certain inverter models do not display cumulative generation on their physical screens. In such instances, vendors may submit a geo-tagged photograph showing the cumulative generation and inverter serial number through the inverter’s mobile application.

A key requirement is the submission of a portal-generated undertaking. Vendors must download the undertaking, print it on their letterhead, sign and stamp it, include the consumer’s details and obtain the consumer’s signature acknowledging the rectification. The completed document must then be uploaded to the portal. Vendors have also been instructed not to submit the separate MNRE undertaking for repeated serial number applications as proof of rectification under the FQI module.

The revised guidelines place additional emphasis on consumer documentation and warranty compliance. Vendors must provide an operation and maintenance (O&M) manual covering the major components of the rooftop solar installation. Original equipment manufacturer (OEM) warranty documents must include the serial numbers of the installed photovoltaic (PV) modules and inverter. The system warranty must cover five years from the date of commissioning.

MNRE has also specified file-format and naming requirements for evidence submitted through the portal. Vendors must avoid double file extensions and invalid filenames, using a single valid extension, such as PDF, and filenames containing only letters, numbers and underscores. If the portal flags a PDF as a “Malicious PDF File”, vendors have been advised to regenerate the document using trusted tools such as Adobe Acrobat or Microsoft Print to PDF.

Additionally, vendors must upload copies of documents handed over to consumers in PDF format rather than photographs showing the documents being handed over.

The updated requirements strengthen the verification process for rooftop solar defect rectification under PM Surya Ghar, placing greater emphasis on verifiable evidence, consumer consent, equipment traceability and warranty compliance. Vendors will need to ensure that rectification records and supporting documentation meet the prescribed requirements to avoid issues during portal-based verification.