UJALA Scheme Celebrates 10 Years

07 Jan 2025 CW Team

The Unnat Jyoti by Affordable LEDs for All (UJALA) scheme, launched in January 2015, has completed a decade of impactful service, marking the distribution of 36.87 crore LED bulbs and resulting in Rs 191.53 billion in annual electricity savings, as per the Ministry of Power.

Implemented by Energy Efficiency Services Limited (EESL), the initiative has made LED bulbs more affordable, offering them at just Rs 70, compared to the market price range of Rs 450–500. This affordability has drastically reduced household electricity consumption and fostered environmental sustainability.

In total, the scheme has facilitated the sale of 407.92 crore LED bulbs across India, leading to annual energy savings of 47,883 million kWh. It has also contributed to a reduction in peak demand by 9,586 MW and a significant decrease in carbon dioxide emissions by 3.87 crore tonnes annually.

Alongside UJALA, the Street Lighting National Programme (SLNP) has played a key role, installing 1.34 crore LED streetlights across urban and rural areas. This effort has resulted in further energy savings of 9,001 million kWh and a reduction of 6.2 million tonnes of carbon dioxide.

The SLNP’s business model, where EESL funds the projects upfront and recoups costs via annuity payments, has enabled municipalities to install energy-efficient lighting without large initial investments.

The Ministry of Power has lauded UJALA and SLNP for transforming energy efficiency in India and for contributing significantly to the nation’s climate change mitigation efforts. These schemes have not only provided substantial savings but have also influenced global energy policies, with many countries now exploring similar models.

Infrastructure Urban

07 Oct 2025

IFCCI, NITI Aayog Partner To Boost Innovation In Schools

The Indo-French Chamber of Commerce & Industry (IFCCI) and the Atal Innovation Mission (AIM), NITI Aayog, Government of India, have signed a Statement of Intent (SoI) on 19 September 2025 to strengthen collaboration in education and innovation. The signing took place at the Embassy of France in New Delhi during the 3rd Edition of IFCCI CSR Connect Day 2025, held under the theme “Collaborating for Scale – Cross-Sectoral Partnerships for Sustainable Development.”The event brought together over 100 participants, including Indian and French corporate leaders, diplomats, government repres..

Vedanta To Invest Rs 132 Billion To Boost Aluminium Capacity

Anil Agarwal-led Vedanta Ltd plans to invest Rs 132 billion to expand its aluminium production capacity to 3.1 million tonnes per annum (MTPA) by FY28, up from the current 2.4 MTPA, according to industry sources.Anchoring aluminium at the core of its growth strategy, Vedanta aims to ramp up capacity in phases — first reaching 2.75 MTPA by FY26, and achieving 3.1 MTPA by FY28. The investment will be spread over the next few years, underscoring the company’s confidence in aluminium’s role in India’s industrial future.Aluminium, the world’s second most consumed metal after steel, is gai..

UCO, Punjab & Sind Bank Report Strong Q2 Credit Growth

State-owned UCO Bank has reported a 16.6 per cent year-on-year growth in credit to Rs 2.31 trillion for the second quarter of FY26, compared with Rs 1.98 trillion at the end of September 2024, according to a regulatory filing.The Kolkata-based lender also recorded a 10.8 per cent rise in total deposits to Rs 3.06 trillion, up from Rs 2.76 trillion in the same period last year. Its total business increased by 13.2 per cent, reaching Rs 5.37 trillion, compared with Rs 4.74 trillion a year earlier.The bank’s Current Account and Savings Account (CASA) ratio stood at 38.1 per cent of total deposi..