Solar Water Heaters - Soft loans

I was looking into programs by the MNES in encouraging 'common people' to invest in non-conventional sources of energy. The Ministry has been supporting solar water heater (SWH) initiatives as part of its Tenth Five Year Plan (valid till 31/3/2007) under the Interest Subsidy Scheme.

Notes..
* The scheme is open to end-users (individuals, cooperative housing societies, non-commercial organizations), intermediaries and commerical organizations through two different sources:
1. IREDA, and 2. Banks and Financial Institutions (Canara Bank, Union Bank of India, Punjab & Sind Bank, Bank of Maharashtra, Andhra Bank, Syndicate Bank, Punjab National Bank)
* Rates of Interest:
IREDA - 7% for commercial organizations, 4.5% for intermediaries lending to commercial organizations, 5% for end-users, 2.5% for intermediaries lending to end users
Banks and FIs: 5% for individuals
* Loan Amount covered:
IREDA - Upto 80% of the cost of the project as apprised by IREDA
Banks and FIs: Upto 85% of the cost of the system
* Supported Technologies:
1. Flat Plate Collectors (FPC) based SWH, and 2. Evacuated Tube Collectors (ETC) based SWH
* Eligible Suppliers Information (Govt. Approved):
1. FPC based SWH - 83 manufacturers, and 2. ETC based SWH - 4 manufacturers (Detailed information on each supplier is available in the Ministry website)
* Cost Estimates:
FPC based SWH:
1 collector sytem-100 litres capacity-Rs. 18000
2 collectors system-200 litres-Rs. 35000
3 collectors system-300 litres-Rs. 50000
...
ETC based SWH:
75 litres-11 tubes-Rs. 14500
100 litres-14 tubes-Rs. 18000
200 litres-28-Rs. 35000
...
(Please check the Minsitry's site for more cost estimates)
* Maintenance guarentee: (for both IREDA and Bank loans)
Suppliers will be responsible for maintenance of the systems for 5 years and it will form part of unit cost to be financed by the banks as per above guidelines.

Relevant Information:
* All information from the Ministry's site is as of September 2003. So please verify all information.
Ministry of Non-Conventional Energy Sources,
Block-14, C.G.O. Complex,
Lodhi Road,New Delhi 110003, India.
Phone No. : 91 - 011 - 4361604
Fax No. : 91 - 011 - 4361604
E-mail : dirmnes@ren02.nic.in
* Indian Renewable Energy Development Agency Ltd.,
India Habitat Centre Complex, Core-4A, East Court, Ist Floor,
Lodi Road, New Delhi – 110 003.
Tel: 24682214-21
Fax: 24682202
E-mail: mdireda@rediffmail.com
Website: http://www.iredaltd.com/

Plus: Motto of the MNES - "Gaon-Gaon Bijali, Ghar-Ghar Prakash" (translates to 'electricity and light to every village' in India)
Plus: National Renewable Energy Day - August 20