Ujala Yojana launched on 5 January 2015 celebrated its 10th anniversary as a path breaking initiative in energy efficiency. Street Lighting National Programme Scheme has also completed 10 years.
Key facts about Ujala Yojana
- It was launched in January 2015 in order to promote energy efficiency by replacing conventional lighting systems (incandescent lamps (ICL) and compact fluorescent lamps (CFL)) with energy-saving LED bulbs.
- The scheme is a joint project between the Public Sector Undertakings of Government of India, Energy Efficiency Services Limited (EESL) of Union Ministry of Power and DISCOMs (Distribution Companies).
- Objective: It aims to reduce electricity use by 8.5 million kWh and reduce 15,000 tonnes of carbon dioxide (CO2) by replacing 77 crore conventional bulbs and 3.5 crore street lights with LEDs.
- Lighting requirement: Lighting accounts for about 18-27% of residential electricity use in India.
- As of 2011, Indian households used about one billion lighting units, most of which were CFLs (46%) and tube lights (41%). Only 0.4% used LED bulbs.
- Efficiency of LEDs: LEDs are up to 90% energy efficient than ICLs and 50% energy efficient than CFLs.
- LED bulbs use up to 75% less energy than incandescent bulbs and last 25 times longer but their high initial cost is a major barrier.
Key Features of UJALA
- Subsidized LED Bulbs: The price of LED bulbs distributed under UJALA has come down to Rs 70 per LED bulb from Rs 450 in 2014.
- Distribution Mechanism: The bulbs are distributed through a demand aggregation-price crash model (bulk purchases to reduce prices).
- In 2015, EESL invited open bids for large-scale procurement of LED lamps and engaged state governments to set up distribution networks.
Key Facts about Street Lighting National Programme (SLNP)
- Its key objectives include reducing energy consumption and operating costs for public lighting and promoting market shift towards energy-efficient appliances.
- Implementation Agency: EESL was designated as the implementing agency for the programme and has been at the forefront of implementing SLNP across India in collaboration with Urban Local Bodies (ULBs), Municipal Bodies, Gram Panchayats (GPs) and Central and State Governments.
- Business Model: SLNP has introduced a unique model wherein EESL bears the initial costs and recovers the investment through monthly or quarterly payments by the municipalities during the project period.
- EESL ensures the maintenance of LED street lights, providing over 95% uptime, which significantly enhances public safety and ensures reliable municipal services without burdening the local budget.