In yet another milestone, the government’s flagship scheme–Unnat Jeevan by Affordable LEDs and Appliances for all (UJALA) programme was launched in Punjab.
The Minister of Power and Irrigation, Rana Gurjeet Singh on Thursday launched the programme. Presently, the scheme is launched only in SAS Nagar and will subsequently be launched in other districts of the state in a phased manner. Over 60 lakh consumers in Punjab will benefit through the scheme.
Under the UJALA scheme, consumers can buy high quality 9W LED bulbs at Rs. 65/-, 50W BEE 5-star rated energy efficient fans at Rs. 1,150/- and 20W LED Tube Lights at Rs. 230/- respectively.
The scheme is being implemented by Energy Efficiency Services Limited (EESL), a JV under the administration of Ministry of Power, Government of India, and Punjab State Power Corporation Limited (PSPCL) shall provide logistical support for smooth functioning of the scheme in the state.
In Punjab, EESL plans to distribute over 10 million LED bulbs, 10 lakh LED tube lights and 1 lakh fans. With this, the state would have annual energy savings of 1.35 billion kWh. It is estimated that the annual savings in consumer bills would be more than Rs.5.4 billion with the use of these appliances. The use of energy efficient appliances will also result in reduction of 282 MW of peak demand, as well as an annual reduction of CO2 emission by 11 lakh tonnes.
“The UJALA scheme will not only help consumers in Punjab save electricity and money but will also help our government to manage its power demand and supply. The scheme will also benefit the environment by reducing emission of greenhouse gases. I urge all the citizens of the state to come out in large numbers to avail the benefits and make Punjab energy efficient, while contributing towards making India a world leader in energy efficiency,” Rana Gurjeet Singh said.
