SOLAR COOKER AVAILABILITY

 1. Executive Summary

The mission to provide millions of households with solar cookers transitioned from a "competition phase" (ONGC/IIT-B) to a "commercialization phase" (IOCL). The IIT-Bombay design, known as the SIX Stove (Solar Intelligent Cookstove), served as a critical proof-of-concept. However, for mass production, the Ministry favored the Surya Nutan system due to its integrated hybrid capabilities and thermal storage efficiency.

2. Current Status & Product Roadmap

The "60/70 units" distributed by Minister Hardeep Singh Puri in 2022–2023 were part of a wide-scale pilot program covering regions from Leh (high altitude) to Kanyakumari (coastal humidity).

• Current Phase: Commercial scale-up. The product has been transitioned from R&D to empanelled third-party manufacturers.
• The Switch: While the ONGC IIT-B project is still alive in academic and research circles, the Surya Nutan is the primary vehicle for the government’s "Har Ghar Surya" ambition.

3. Manufacturing & Distribution Landscape

Manufacturing is no longer handled by ONGC or IOCL directly; it has been outsourced to licensed vendors to ensure a supply chain.

Metric	Details (March 2026)
Primary Model	Surya Nutan (Hybrid Indoor Solar Cooktop)
Main Manufacturers	Licensed private partners (e.g., Indo-Auto, Sun-Source, and local MSME clusters under IOCL supervision).
Pricing	Base Model: ₹12,000 – ₹15,000; Premium (with 24hr storage): ₹23,000 – ₹28,000.
Production Stats	~250,000 units produced annually as of late 2025; scaling toward 1 million.
Dealership	Distributed primarily through the Indane (LPG) Distributorship Network.