Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday described the LED bulb as a 'Prakash Path - way to light' as he launched a scheme for LED bulb distribution under the domestic efficient lighting programme in Delhi and a national programme for LED-based home and street lighting.
Prime Minister Modi also symbolically replaced one bulb in South Block, with an LED bulb. Replacement of all bulbs in South Block with LED bulbs will enable savings of 7,000 units of energy each month.
Speaking on the occasion, the Prime Minister called for making energy conservation through the spread of LED bulbs, a people's movement.
He noted that it is much more economical to conserve power than to produce power.
Prime Minister Modi, however, added that it is much more difficult to conserve power than to produce power because while one producing entity can produce a large quantity of power, it requires the active participation of crores of people to conserve that amount of power.
Therefore, he called for generating awareness among people for the same.
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Prime Minister Modi also called for extensive involvement of celebrities and eminent citizens in these programmes, who could motivate people to adopt LED bulbs.
The Prime Minister said these programmes launched today also represent a challenge to manufacturers to rise to the occasion and produce LED bulbs without any compromise on quality.
Suggesting innovative ways to generate awareness and spread the message of energy efficiency, Prime Minister Modi said gifts such as diaries and calendars on New Year should be replaced by gifts of LEDs. The companies could distribute LED bulbs along with dividend payments, he suggested.
Prime Minister Modi called for setting district level goals and to prioritize this scheme in all towns with population above one lakh.
He said that the involvement of entrepreneurs, eminent citizens and common people in this programme would represent an act of patriotism - as it would reduce import bills, and an act of social service - as it would save the environment.
This initiative is part of the government's efforts to spread the message of energy efficiency in the country.
LED bulbs have a very long life, almost 50 times more than ordinary bulbs, and 8-10 times that of CFLs, and therefore provide both energy and cost savings in the medium term.
The Prime Minister also launched a web-based system to enable consumers in Delhi to register requests for procuring LED bulbs under Domestic Efficient Lighting Programme (DELP).
The consumers can register either through the programme website (www.eeslindia.org/Delhi-Launch) or by sending an SMS to a designated number. Prime Minister Modi also handed over two LED bulbs to one common citizen of Delhi - who was the first person to register.
LED bulbs shall be distributed in a phased manner from March 2015 onwards. The entire project of installing LED bulbs for domestic and street-lighting in 100 cities is targeted for completion by March 2016.
In Delhi, LED bulbs will be provided to all domestic consumers at an initial payment of Rs. 10 each and recovery of Rs. 10 each for 12 months from their electricity bill. Hence, the cost for an LED bulb to domestic consumer will be Rs. 130 through this programme due to bulk procurement, compared to the current open market retail price in the range of Rs. 350-600 for LED bulbs.
The estimated annual savings for households in Delhi per LED bulb will be Rs. 162. The LED bulbs will have a warranty of three years.
Delhi Lt. Governor Najeeb Jung, Union Minister for Science and Technology Dr. Harsh Vardhan, Union MoS for Power Piyush Goyal and the MPs from Delhi were present on the occasion.