Chhattisgarh power-saving plan bites the dust

The ambitious plan of Chhattisgarh government to save power by promoting the use of compact fluorescent lamp (CFL) in the state has failed to take off.

The confusion over selecting the agency to implement the project appears to be the reason behind the delay in starting the plan. The state government had announced last year to replace the incandescent lamps with nearly 20 million CFLs.

Under the plan, the person giving up the incandescent lamp would be given a CFL and a cash of Rs10. A maximum of four bulbs will be given to a person. The plan will be funded by the European Commission.

Earlier, the state government had assigned Chhattisgarh Renewal Energy Development Authority (CREDA) to take up the project. But before it could start the work, the government asked Chhattisgarh State Power Distribution (CSPDC) to take over the work.

"We are now planning to start from the scratch," Managing Director of CSPDC G S Despande said. Till now, nothing has been done in the plan, he added. "More than a dozen companies have been sent the proposal and the work will start soon after approving one of the companies," he added.

Officials said that the state government had started work on an experimental basis in Rajnandgaon district. Despite getting good success, the plan was not expanded to the other districts in the state.

The state government would have, however, saved crores of rupees. Officials said. This would have added Rs50 crore to the state exchequer every month, they added.