The rising incidence of extreme weather events, like sudden heavy rainfall within a small window in Assam and neighbouring northeastern states, corroborates the caution of climate scientists that climate change due to global warming is real and efforts to curb carbon emissions must be strengthened to mitigate climate change’s impact. Expediting the execution of renewable energy projects in the region to significantly increase their share in the total energy mix and reduce fossil fuel burning for electricity production remains critical for reducing fossil fuel consumption in electricity generation. Rooftop solarisation (RTS) under the central government’s flagship scheme – PM Surya Ghar-Muft Bijli Yojana (PMSG:MBY) – is a crucial intervention to increase renewable electricity generation, but more households installing RTS projects hinge on the timely disbursement of subsidies provided by both the central and state governments. However, the delay in releasing the state share of subsidies has significantly hindered more households in the state from adopting solar power for their electricity needs. The state made a remarkable achievement in building awareness among the people about the importance of the RTS project as the number of applicants surpassed the 4-lakh mark. However, the slow pace of installations compared to the surge in applications highlights the significant gap between public aspirations, enthusiasm, and the actual delivery by institutions. Unlike large renewable energy projects, such as large solar power projects, hydropower projects, pumped storage projects, etc., which involve issues of land acquisition, transmission infrastructure, and grid-connected RTSRTS, projects are easy to install, provided the local power distribution companies extend timely approval, net metering systems are transparent and consumer-friendly, and there are no procedural or systemic delays in the release of government subsidies to approved applicants. As PMSG-MBY is a demand-driven scheme, the demand for the installation of RTS projects will pick up only when the applicants are sure they will receive the subsidies on time. This situation requires the state government to address the timely release of its share of subsidies to help other applicants expedite their RTS project installations. The increasing adoption of solar power by households in the state will significantly contribute to the exclusive use of green energy for charging electric vehicles, whose numbers are projected to grow in the coming years. Currently, a large number of electric two- and three-wheelers in Guwahati city and elsewhere in the state are charged with electricity supplied through the grid, which is mostly fed by thermal power projects in the country. Evidently, the rise in household electricity demand for charging EVs is also increasing due to a lack of a robust system of public charging facilities. More households adopting RTS projects can significantly reduce the demand for coal-fired power in the grid by meeting a substantial share of their charging load through clean and decentralised electricity generation. While more EVs on the roads will certainly reduce vehicular pollution to zero carbon emissions, a mere increase in their number is not going to help the country achieve the goal of carbon emission reduction if their charging load, be it at the public charging facility or through household electrical charging, is met by coal-fired power. The country’s target of meeting 50% of its energy needs through renewable energy by 2030 will be achieved only when demand for coal-fired power begins to decline. Despite remarkable progress in renewable energy generation, including solar power, the harsh reality is that coal continues to dominate total electricity generation. If the gap between the actual generation of electricity from coal-fired projects and renewable energy projects is not reduced, a surge in electricity demand driven by economic and industrial growth will only lead to a further increase in demand for coal-fired power. By reversing the trend, India will fall off the track of its 2030 renewable-energy trajectory, which will further delay achieving its net zero carbon emissions. The states contributing their share in reducing demand for coal-fired power through an increase in solar and other renewable energy generation remain crucial. This situation demands that states like Assam and other north-eastern states prioritise RTS and other solar power projects to increase clean power generation in this ecologically fragile region. Ecological risks associated with large hydropower projects in the high seismic zone comprising NE states also demand that the region first focus more on environmentally sustainable solar power projects, including RTS projects and small hydro projects, to meet the projected peak-hour demands of each state through clean power generation. Building institutional capacity for time-bound project implementation is essential to ensure that RTS and other renewable energy projects move beyond setting target dates and routine review of progress. If the bottleneck in project implementation in states remains unremoved, the country’s renewable energy push for decarbonising the energy sector will remain trapped in procedural delays. Closing the gap between applications and installation of RTS projects will take Assam faster to its renewable energy goals.