Page 40 - NIS 01-15 JAN 2022 English

Flagship Scheme Ujala

LIGHT IN EVERY HOUSE
LIGHT IN EVER Y H OUSE

ILLU MIN ATIN G LI VE S
ILLUMINATING LIVES

The progress of any country depends on the planned use and implementation of the
resources available with it. In a country like India, 20 percent of the total electricity
consumption is used for the lighting sector. There was a time when a large part
of this was old bulbs, which not only consumed more electricity but also affected
the environment due to the additional sources that were generated due to over
consumption. As an alternative, the LED bulb was present in the market, but it was out
of the reach of the common man as they were expensive. To address this, the Ujala
scheme was launched on 5th January 2015, through which 37 crore LED bulbs have
been given to the people at a cost of just Rs 10 each.

-year-old Mercy Susan, who lives in those who have got cheap LED bulbs through the
an orphanage in Secunderabad in UJALA scheme.
15Telangana, is a versatile genius. She The UJALA (Unnat Jyoti by Affordable LEDs
loves to play the piano and practice karate. She for All ) scheme, completing 7 years on 5 January
is currently studying in class 10th. Maths and 2022, is one of the world's largest home lighting
Science are her favorite subjects. She explains, projects. With the implementation of this project,
“The new LED is more illuminating than the India has now become the largest LED market in
old one, so it is also easier to read. Earlier I the world. While the number of LEDs distributed
could study for 2 hours with the old bulb, but by the government was 13.3 crore on July 19,
now I can study for 4 hours with the new bulb.” it increased to 36.78 cores by 177 percent
Devdutt Sharma, a partner of A1 Dhaba on the by December 1, 2021. The scheme is being
highway passing through Sonepat in Haryana, implemented by Energy Efficiency Services Limited
replaced the tube lights with LED lights in his (EESL), a joint venture of PSUs under the Ministry
Dhaba. Due to this, his electricity bill has come of Power. UJALA Yojana has received global
down from Rs 45 thousand to Rs 15 thousand awards like 'South Asia Procurement Innovation
in six months. It has also benefited his business Award 2017, 'Global Solid State Lighting Award of
as fully illuminated dhabas now attract more Excellence for its transformative contribution in
customers.” Both Mercy and Devdutt are among the LED sector.

38 New India Samachar January 1-15, 2022