Context

The Ministry of Power has successfully completed seven years of distributing and selling LED lights under its flagship UJALA programme.

About

About Unnat Jyoti by Affordable LEDs for All (UJALA)

• UJALA is a zero-subsidy scheme launched by the Government in 2015.
• It is touted as the world’s largest domestic lighting project.
• It is spearheaded by Energy Efficiency Services Limited. 
• UJALA Also known as the LED-based Domestic Efficient Lighting Programme (DELP), it aims to promote the efficient usage of energy for all i.e., its consumption, savings and lighting.
• This scheme is considered as the world's largest, in non-subsidized LED lamp distribution projects. 
• Every domestic household having a metered connection from their respective Electricity Distribution Company is eligible to get the LED bulbs under the Scheme.
• The Government of India also expanded the LED distribution scheme to the United Kingdom in May 2017. 
• The Scheme was established by replacing Bachat Lamp Yojana. 
• It is a joint initiative of Energy Efficiency Services Limited (EESL) under Power Ministry and Electricity Distribution Company. EESL has reduced the prices of LED bulbs by 75%.

Achievements of the scheme

• UJALA scheme has evolved as the world’s largest zero-subsidy domestic lighting programme, which addresses concerns such as high electrification cost and high emissions resulting from inefficient lighting.
• Scheme has resulted in significant benefits, through its innovative approach.
• Under the scheme, more than 36 crore 70 lakh LEDs have been distributed so far across India. 
• It has resulted in saving of around 47 thousand Million Kilowatt-hour per annum energy. It has also avoided 9 thousand 565 megawatts peak demand.
• Scheme has also contributed to substantial reduction in carbon dioxide emissions and has reduced household electricity bills.