Government of India’s National LED programme - Unnat Jyoti by Affordable LEDs for All (UJALA) was launched today in Madhya Pradesh by Chief Minister of Madhya Pradesh Shri Shivraj Singh Chouhan and Union Minister for State (IC) for Power, Coal and Renewable Energy Shri Piyush Goyal, at a function held in Bhopal. The scheme is being implemented by Energy Efficiency Services Limited (EESL), a joint venture of PSUs under the Ministry of Power.

While addressing the gathering , Shri Goyal said that with the launching of  UJALA scheme in Madhya Pradesh today , energy revolution  has begun and will transform the State.  In the State,  3 crore LED Bulbs will be distributed  in the next 6 months under the Scheme . People of Madhya Pradesh will get energy efficient 9W LED bulbs at an upfront payment of just Rs. 85 per LED bulb, Shri Goyal added.  The Minister further stated that within just one year , 9 crore bulbs have been distributed under UJALA Scheme, which  helped consumers to save Rs 5500 crore every year.  UJALA will not only help reduce consumers their electricity bills but also contribute to the energy security of India. The UJALA scheme is being monitored in a transparent manner through a national dashboard (www.delp.in).

In his address, Shri Chouhan hoped that UJALA scheme will bring UJALA in the lives of everyone. He said that usage of LED bulbs will not only results in reducing electricity bills but also help in environment protection

The distribution of LED bulbs will happen through DISCOM offices, DISCOM bill collection centres, designated EESL kiosks, Weekly haat markets, etc. Consumers can buy these affordable LEDs by presenting any identity card. These bulbs come with a three year free replacement warranty in case of any technical defects. The luminosity of the 9W LED bulbs to be distributed in MP is of 900 lumens, which is the highest in the country. Each 9W LED bulb gives the same luminosity as compared to a 100W incandescent lamp, while consuming less than one tenth of power. 

The function was graced by several ministers and MLA’s of the MP government.

‘UJALA’ : Status Update :

As of now, EESL has distributed over 10 crore LED bulbs under UJALA programme  and this  has led to significant savings to the country and consumers who are using these bulbs.

Under India’s commitment to achieving 30-35% reduced carbon emissions, the country has recognized energy efficiency as a key mitigation strategy. Therefore, the government is committed to executing schemes like UJALA. State governments are voluntarily adopting this scheme and the scheme is already present in over 13 states. EESL would be starting distribution in more states within a month.

The UJALA scheme has played a significant role in creating awareness about energy efficient lighting. In 2014-15, the total number of LED bulbs that were distributed was mere 30 lakhs. The number of LED bulbs distributed in 2015-16 has crossed 15 crore, where 9 crore LED bulbs were distributed under UJALA and the remaining were contributed by the industry. For this year, the Government of India is confident of distributing an additional 20 crore LED bulbs. Sustained efforts under UJALA, coupled with industry support, will help the government achieve its objective of replacing 77 crore inefficient bulbs by March 2019.

Efficient domestic lighting is one of the largest contributors to energy savings globally and the distribution of 10 crore LED bulbs in India has led to savings of over 1,298 crore kWh annually. This number has also helped the country avoid capacity of about 2,600 MW. Most importantly, the country has benefitted from reduction of CO2 emission by over 1 crore tonnes annually.

LED bulbs consume half the energy as that of CFLs and one tenth as that of incandescent bulbs. UJALA is the largest non-subsidised LED programme in the world. The programme has led to significant savings to the consumers who are using these bulbs.

National savings under UJALA scheme:

Estimated Annual energy savings                                           1,298 crore kWh annually

Estimated reduction of peak load                                           2,600 MW

Estimated Annual cost reduction of bills of consumers         INR 5,195 crore annually

Annual estimated greenhouse gas emission reductions          1 crore tonnes of CO2 annually

For enjoying the benefits of the scheme the consumer just needs to visit the UJALA dashboard www.delp.in to locate the closest distribution kiosk to their place. The UJALA scheme has now become a revolution and each person counts. Energy savings achieved from switching to LED bulbs is helping light up a home somewhere in the country.

RM/PS