The Union Power and Renewable Energy Minister R.K. Singh on March 24, 2021, launched the Gram Ujala scheme in the Lok Sabha constituency of PM Modi, Varanasi. Under the scheme, the government offers the world’s cheapest LED bulbs in rural areas at Rs. 10.
The Power Ministry in a press release mentioned that under the Gram Ujala scheme, Convergence Energy Services Limited, a wholly-owned subsidiary of EESL- Energy Efficiency Services Limited, will be distributing the high-quality LED bulbs at a cost of Rs. 10 in rural areas of Varanasi.
The launch program in Varanasi was also attended by the Union Power Secretary Alok Kumar along with other dignitaries.
I had the pleasure of virtually launching the Gram Ujala Program for Uttar Pradesh in a function organized at Varanasi. Every village in U.P. has been electrified and Gram Ujala by @ConvergenceCESL will provide affordable, high-quality,and long-lasting LED bulbs for our villages. pic.twitter.com/ofVcYsjzba
— R. K. Singh (@RajKSinghIndia) March 24, 2021
Significance:
The Gram Ujala Scheme by the government will enable better illumination at an affordable price of just Rs. 10 per bulb. The scheme will help in promoting a better standard of life, more economic activity, financial savings, and better safety for the rural citizens of UP.
Under the new scheme, the CFL- Compact fluorescent lamp and incandescent bulbs of the rural consumers will be taken back and new LED bulbs will be provided.
How the scheme will benefit India’s energy savings?
The scheme has been financed entirely through carbon credits. Gram Ujala scheme will be claiming the carbon credits under the United Nations’ Clean Development Mechanism- CDM.
According to the official release, under phase 1 of the scheme, 1.5 crores LED bulbs will be distributed which will have a significant effect on the country’s climate change action energy savings of 2025 million kWh/year as well as the CO2 reductions of 1.65 million T CO2/year.
India is a leading country in energy transition and energy efficiency. As the scheme has been particularly designed for the rural homes keeping affordability in planning, it will also result in the saving of energy as a 12-watt LED bulb will give equivalent light as of 100-watt incandescent bulb.
Gram Ujala Scheme: Key Highlights
• The scheme has been launched for the rural households where the LED bulbs will be given at an affordable price of just Rs. 10.
• The government scheme has already crossed the 6,150 distribution mark in Arrah, Bihar only within the two days of its launch.
• Under Gram Ujala Scheme, 12-watt bulbs and 7-watt bulbs with a warranty of 3 years will be given to rural consumers once they submit the incandescent bulbs.
• The scheme will be implemented only in the villages of the 5 districts where the beneficiary will be able to exchange a maximum of 5 LED bulbs.
• The rural households under the program will have meters installed in their houses in order to monitor the number of hours of usage.
• Under the Shine Program of Activities, carbon credits will be prepared. There will be an option for verifying under the Voluntary Carbon Standard which will depend on the need of the buyers.
UJALA Scheme:
During the launch of the Gram Ujala Scheme in Varanasi, the Power Minister praised EESL’s efforts to implement the Ujala scheme.
Under it, 36 crores LED bulbs have been distributed as well as 1.15 crores street lights have been replaced with the LED lights all over the country. The step resulted in energy savings of thousands of megawatts.
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