New Delhi, Mar 24 (PTI) Power Minister R K Singh on Wednesday launched GRAM UJALA scheme in Varanasi, under which LED bulbs are distributed to households at a price of Rs 10 per piece.

"R K Singh, the Union Minister of State (I/C) for Power and New and Renewable Energy, launched the GRAM UJALA programme in Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh," a power ministry statement said.

Under this programme, Convergence Energy Services Limited (CESL), a wholly owned subsidiary of Energy Efficiency Services Ltd (EESL), will distribute high quality LED bulbs at an affordable cost of Rs 10 per bulb in rural areas of Varanasi.

The launch programme was attended by Union Power Secretary Alok Kumar and other dignitaries.

Under phase 1 of GRAM UJALA programme 1.5 crore LED bulbs will be distributed which will have a significant impact on India's climate change action energy savings of 2025 million kWh/year and CO2 reductions of 1.65 million T CO2/year.

The programme will enable better illumination, at an affordable price of Rs 10/bulb. This will usher in a better standard of life, financial savings, more economic activity, and better safety for rural citizens.

On this occasion, Singh said that India is leading in energy transition as well as energy efficiency. This scheme is designed specifically for rural homes keeping affordability in mind and it will also result in energy savings as a 12 Watt LED bulb gives equivalent light as of 100 watt incandescent bulb.

The minister further lauded EESL's efforts in implementing UJALA scheme under which 36 crore LED bulbs have been distributed and 1.15 crore street lights have been replaced with LED lights across the country resulting in energy savings of thousands of megawatts.

Now the GRAM UJALA scheme is being launched for rural households where LED bulbs will be distributed at an affordable price of INR 10/bulb. The scheme has crossed 6,150 distribution mark in Arrah, Bihar within two days of launch, it added.

Under the programme, 7 watt and 12-Watt LED bulbs with three years warranty will be given to rural consumers against submission of working incandescent bulbs.

The GRAM UJALA programme will be implemented only in villages of the five districts where consumers can exchange a maximum of five LED bulbs.

These rural households will also have meters installed in their houses to monitor numbers of hours of usage.

Carbon credits will be prepared under the Shine Programme of Activities with an option for verifying under the Voluntary Carbon Standard, depending on the needs of buyers.

(The above story is verified and authored by Press Trust of India (PTI) staff. PTI, India’s premier news agency, employs more than 400 journalists and 500 stringers to cover almost every district and small town in India.. The views appearing in the above post do not reflect the opinions of LatestLY)