PM launched National Programme for LED-based Home and Street Lighting

Prime Minister (PM) Narendra Modi on 5 January 2015 launched a National Programme for LED-based Home and Street Lighting in New Delhi to reduce energy consumption.

Other Launches
• A scheme for Light Emitting Diode (LED) bulb distribution under the Domestic Efficient Lighting Programme (DELP) was also launched.
• The Prime Minister also launched a web-based system to enable consumers in Delhi to register requests for procuring LED bulbs under Domestic Efficient Lighting Programme (DELP). Consumers can register either through the programme website (www.eeslindia.org/Delhi-Launch) or by sending an SMS to a designated number.

Highlights of the programme
• LED bulbs will be distributed in a phased manner from March 2015 onwards.
• The entire project of installing LED bulbs for domestic and street-lighting in 100 cities is targeted for completion by March 2016.
• In Delhi, LED bulbs will be provided to all domestic consumers at an initial payment of 10 rupees each and the balance amount of 120 rupees each will be recovered from their electricity bill.
• Therefore, the cost for an LED bulb to domestic consumer will be 130 rupees through this programme due to bulk procurement, compared to the current open market retail price in the range of 350-600 rupees for LED bulbs.
• The estimated annual savings for households in Delhi per LED bulb will be 162 rupees. The LED bulbs will have a warranty of 3 years.
• It will result in annual saving of energy by about 24 crore units every year.

Background
The initiatives are the part of the Government’s efforts to spread the message of energy efficiency in the country. The LED based lights will help in reducing energy consumption by 88 percent compared to a normal bulb.

LED bulbs have a very long life, almost 50 times more than ordinary bulbs, and 8-10 times that of CFLs. These LEDs provide both energy and cost savings in the medium term.