Highlights:
- Isolated on white background, wind turbines and trees in an LED light with an electric outlet.
- LED lights have dropped in price from Rs 300-350 to Rs 70-80 at retail.
- The UJALA system has been running for seven years and has saved 48 billion kWh of energy each year.
What is in the News?
The Power Ministry celebrated seven years of successfully distributing and selling LED lights under its flagship UJALA initiative.
With more than 36.78 crore LEDs delivered across the country, the effort has grown into the world’s largest zero-subsidy residential lighting programme.
The Unnat Jyoti by Affordable LEDs for All (UJALA) campaign
The Unnat Jyoti by Affordable LEDs for All (UJALA) campaign, which began in 2015, was successful in lowering the retail price of LED bulbs from 300 ₹ to 70 ₹.
In addition, the programme resulted in significant energy savings.As of present; energy savings total 47,778 million kWh per year. The Power Ministry said in a statement that 9,565 MW of peak demand was avoided, along with a decrease of 3,86 crore tones of CO2 emissions.
Ensuring transparency and encouraging competition
Through e-procurement of products and services, the government secured openness and encouraged competition, resulting in a significant reduction in transaction cost and time, improving process efficiency.
The cost of an LED bulb has dropped by 85% thanks to UJALA. This has resulted in a significantly wider pool of bidders, improved product quality, and the availability of better specifications for consumers, according to the report.
Procurement strategy
EESL has developed an innovative procurement technique that has resulted in well-known benefits and is now recognized as the USP of Program Ujala, leveraging enhanced industry competitiveness and mass buying.
Thanks to UJALA, energy-efficient, cost-saving lighting is now available to people in the middle and lower middle classes.
EESL has enlisted Self-Help Groups (SHGs) for distribution of LED bulbs under the UJALA programme as part of its inclusive growth plan to enable growth in lower-income regions.
The home lighting industry grew faster as a result of the scheme. It promotes Make in India by increasing LED bulb production in India from 1 lakh per month to 40 million per month.
