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.

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