Power minister Piyush Goyal has launched the National Energy Efficient Fan Programme (NEEFP) in Uttar Pradesh.
Under the scheme, BEE 5-star rated ceiling fans of 50 Watt will be distributed to consumers at an attractive EMI model, the Power Minister said today.
Goyal distributed energy efficient fans to 15 consumers in Varanasi yesterday, it added.
Energy efficient ceiling fans will be distributed by Energy Efficiency Services Limited (EESL) in collaboration with Purvanchal Vidyut Vitaran Nigam (PUVVNL) in Varanasi.
Uttar Pradesh is the second state in the country to adopt the energy efficient fan programme.
With the usage of 50 Watts BEE 5-star rated ceiling fans, distributed under the NEEFP, it is estimated that consumers electricity bills will reduce by about Rs 700-730 annually.
Therefore, the cost of recovery of purchasing these fans is less than 2 years. The fans are 30 per cent more energy efficient as compared to conventional fans, which ranges from 75-80 Watts, the Power Ministry said.
At present, two energy efficient fans will be provided to each consumer at Rs 60 every month per fan on EMI basis. This scheme will be available to consumers on providing a copy of latest electricity bill at the designated distribution centre.
Consumers can also purchase fan by paying Rs 1,300 upfront. A consumer can replace the technically faulty fan up to a period of 2 years. EESL aims to distribute 1 lakh energy efficient fans over next few months in Uttar Pradesh.
Besides, the Minister informed that UP has replaced one crore inefficient bulbs with energy efficient LEDs, distributed under the Unnat Jyoti by Affordable LEDs for All (UJALA) programme.
He distributed the one crore oneth bulb to the PUVVNL Managing Director A K Singh in Varanasi yesterday late evening.
Goyal announced that the price of the LED bulb in Uttar Pradesh will now be only Rs 80. The prices of LED bulbs have dropped to Rs 80 in UP because of the transparent procurement by EESL and the removal of VAT in the state.
UP was the first state in the country to remove VAT on LED bulbs.
Goyal also laid yesterday the foundation stone for underground cabling work under the Integrated Power Development Scheme (IPDS) in Varanasi.
The Power Ministry has sanctioned Rs 432 crore for the project, which covers conversion of overhead lines to underground cables, establishment of 2 new 33 Kv sub-stations and augmentation of 11 existing sub-stations, it added.
Goyal also launched the Kashi-IPDS Mobile App for project monitoring of IPDS activities in Old Kashi. The App will provide details of plan, progress of various activities, the proposed timelines, area-wise work plan etc.
The Minister said that IPDS is a flagship scheme of the Centre, which aims to strengthening the power sub-transmission and distribution network in urban areas across the country and help to ensure 24x7 power for all.
Projects worth Rs 24,838 crore, covering 3,486 towns have been approved so far under IPDS of which projects worth Rs 4,722 crore for 247 circles covering 637 towns have been sanctioned for Uttar Pradesh, the ministry said.
(REOPENS BOM10)
On the ambitious project of targeting one lakh MW
electricity generation from solar energy, Goyal said, "We will leave no stone unturned to encourage manufacturing of solar power equipment in India to make the electricity generated from solar energy cheaper than conventional electricity."
He added that the government will also encourage installation of rooftop solar electricity generation plants and has targeted generation of 40,000 MW from this channel.
