An initiative that can change the electricity sector in India once and for all, “domestic efficient lighting programme”, launched by Prime Minister Modi on 1 May 2015 has already set benchmark for all the developing countries and a huge boom for the "Make in India" initiative.
As of January 2017, 21 crore LED bulbs have been distributed across the country under this initiative which saves 25.8 crore every day in cost and a reduction of 52,728 ton of CO2.
EESL ( Energy Efficiency Services Limited) is one of the major players for this enterprise and is obtaining bulbs from manufacturers at rates lower than that in the market. The bulbs are distributed to customers who register through the website or by sending SMS to the labelled number. The initial payment is Rs. 10 and the rest amount is recovered through electricity bill, Rs. 10 for the next 12 months. This makes it more convenient for people especially in rural areas and as a result we can see the surge in LED bulbs over the last couple of years. The government is providing LED bulbs for a mere price of Rs. 130 which is around 250% less than the average market price to acquire a LED.
With the target to replace 77 crore incandescent bulbs in India with LEDs there will be a humongous production of LED bulbs which will be manufactured in India over the years giving great employment chances across different states of India. This hence will have a great impact on the "Make in India" campaign as millions of LEDs will be produced in the country. This will also have a great impact on the economy, as the replacement of LEDs will save India $5.9 billion in bills and an annual savings of 100 million kwH of energy.
The scheme is prioritized in all towns with population above 1 lakh. The programme has seen major support from the state governments and thumbs up from the world experts. Andhra Pradesh led by distributing 1.89 crore LEDs followed by Maharashtra 1.68 crore and Karnataka 83 lakh. The LED bulbs are subjected to give 50 times more light than the ordinary bulbs and 8-10 times that of CFLs. Government indicates that the annual savings per LED bulb will be Rs.162 which is definitely some amount for the rural population of India. LED bulbs distributed under this programme will have a warranty of 3 years which is much more than that of CFLs and bulbs.
Under this initiative government buys large volumes of LED from the private manufacturers through competitive tenders. As the demand is more there has been a significant increase in the production of LEDs in India having a positive impact on the make in India campaign, the result of which the LED prices have fallen to Rs. 64.5 from Rs. 310 last year. Sources claim that the initiative has been inspired by looking at the adoptability to LEDs by countries like china and japan.
On a whole we have witnessed a great change in our power and electricity sector with this programme and a change that is well credited throughout the world. This mission has taken “Make in India” campaign to a great height. Prime Minister’s idea of ‘it is economical to conserve power than to produce power’ is setting high standards for this campaign and an idea for the whole world to look up to.
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