Ministry aims to make e-cooking affordable through aggregation model

07 Jun 2023 CW Team

"Our objective is to promote e-cooking on a large scale, moving away from fossil fuels towards non-fossil alternatives," stated Tewari. "We are working towards making electric cooking affordable, even in rural areas." Tewari highlighted the importance of promoting models like solar or solar-thermal combined cooking, particularly in rural areas where low-income households may struggle to afford alternative options. During the Consumer-Centric Approaches for E-cooking Transition event, he emphasised the need to transition from clean cooking to e-cooking, building on the success of the Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojana (PMUY) that provided clean cooking fuel, such as LPG, to rural and deprived households.

The development of an affordable model for e-cooking should focus on utilising electricity from renewable energy sources, allowing for carbon credits aggregation to offset some costs. Tewari emphasised the importance of linking e-cooking with solar or other cheaper renewable energy sources. With standardised and affordable models, the power ministry aims to cover all urban areas within 2-3 years. By 2030, they aspire to reach as many households as possible with e-cooking solutions.

Indian Oil has already launched an indoor solar cooking system that operates on both solar and auxiliary energy sources simultaneously. While the initial cost for IOCL's product ranges from Rs 12,000 to Rs 23,000, the company expects significant cost reductions with economies of scale.

The power ministry has revealed its plans to introduce an aggregation model for electric cooking systems in order to promote its widespread adoption and affordability, aiming to reach as many households as possible by 2030, announced Ajay Tewari, additional secretary of the ministry. To facilitate the adoption of electric cooking, the government may offer subsidies to rural households as needed. The Energy Efficiency Services Ltd (EESL) will be involved in implementing the aggregation model, similar to its successful role in the government's Unnat Jyoti by Affordable LED for All (UJALA) scheme. Our objective is to promote e-cooking on a large scale, moving away from fossil fuels towards non-fossil alternatives, stated Tewari. We are working towards making electric cooking affordable, even in rural areas. Tewari highlighted the importance of promoting models like solar or solar-thermal combined cooking, particularly in rural areas where low-income households may struggle to afford alternative options. During the Consumer-Centric Approaches for E-cooking Transition event, he emphasised the need to transition from clean cooking to e-cooking, building on the success of the Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojana (PMUY) that provided clean cooking fuel, such as LPG, to rural and deprived households. The development of an affordable model for e-cooking should focus on utilising electricity from renewable energy sources, allowing for carbon credits aggregation to offset some costs. Tewari emphasised the importance of linking e-cooking with solar or other cheaper renewable energy sources. With standardised and affordable models, the power ministry aims to cover all urban areas within 2-3 years. By 2030, they aspire to reach as many households as possible with e-cooking solutions. Indian Oil has already launched an indoor solar cooking system that operates on both solar and auxiliary energy sources simultaneously. While the initial cost for IOCL's product ranges from Rs 12,000 to Rs 23,000, the company expects significant cost reductions with economies of scale.

Technology

29 Jul 2026

AI-Enabled Workflows Lift Profitability and Productivity

Organisations modernising frontline workflows with artificial intelligence, automation and real-time data are reporting stronger financial performance, higher productivity and improved employee engagement, according to a global study by Zebra Technologies and Oxford Economics.The research covered 1,000 senior leaders across retail, manufacturing, transportation and logistics in the US, Mexico, the UK, Germany, India, Japan, Australia and New Zealand.In transportation and logistics, 54 per cent of companies that improved picking and packing operations reported faster operational performance, wh..

Real Estate

29 Jul 2026

India Leads Global AI Readiness but Implementation Lags

Indian companies lead global averages across all eight artificial intelligence readiness indicators tracked by JLL, but only 19 per cent have started making changes to their workplaces, according to the JLL 2026 Future of Work Survey.The study found that 77 per cent of Indian business leaders expect AI to change their office requirements, creating a 58-percentage-point gap between awareness and implementation. The survey covered more than 2,200 CEOs, CFOs and real estate leaders across 21 countries during the first quarter of 2026.Despite concerns over automation, 58 per cent of Indian leaders..

Equipment

29 Jul 2026

Three WOLFF Cranes Build Riyadh Cable-Stayed Bridges

Three WOLFF 180 B luffing jib cranes are supporting the construction of two cable-stayed bridges alongside the existing Wadi Laban Bridge in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. The project is being developed for the Royal Commission for Riyadh City and executed by the ICRC joint venture comprising IC Ictas and Al Rashid Trading & Contracting Company.The cranes are handling lifting operations including formwork, reinforcement, concrete placement, work platforms, surveying equipment and other construction materials. Each crane is fitted with a 40 m jib, reaches a hook height of 157 m and offers a maximum ..