EESL keen to take MNRE's solar study lamps distribution scheme nationwide

While a lamp costs Rs 550, GoI is providing about Rs 450 per lamp as subsidy under scheme and balance of Rs 100 is paid by beneficiary

State-run Energy Efficiency Services Ltd (EESL) which is implementing the seven million solar study lamp scheme of the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE) with the Indian Institute of Technology Bombay (IIT-B), is planning to take it as a business model for distribution of solar lamps throughout the country.

"We have plan to take it as a business model but that will be considered and finalized after December 2018 by taking a full review of the scheme", said S P Garnaik, Chief General Manager (Technical), Energy Efficiency Services Ltd.

MNRE has sanctioned the seven million solar study lamp scheme to be implemented in the states of Assam, Bihar, Jharkhand, Odisha and Uttar Pradesh and is targeted to beneficiaries in areas which don't get access to the grid supply.

The total budget for the scheme, a centrally funded project, is Rs 4.94 billion, which includes service charges to EESL at the rate of one per cent of total cost of the solar study lamp. The contribution of student beneficiaries would be Rs 100 per solar study lamp.

"If EESL plans to take the scheme to the entire country, it may require about Rs six to eight billion to target around 15 million solar study lamps. However, the investment plan is dependent on demand aggregation from the field", he said.

While a lamp costs Rs 550, the Government of India is providing about Rs 450 per lamp as subsidy under the scheme and the balance of Rs 100 is paid by the beneficiary.

In case the government does not provide the subsidy for distributing the lamps in the entire country , then the student beneficiary has to pay the full amount of Rs 550 per lamp.

"Although, all the villages in the country have been electrified, there is a challenge to get continuous and reliable power supply all the time in a day. We believe that Solar Study Lamps would provide adequate light to the students in the absence of grid supply, particularly during evening hours (peak period)", said Garnaik.

As 1.8 million lamps have been distributed to the beneficiaries and the target of distributing two million lamps in the first phase will be achieved in next 15 days. The procurement of another 2.4 million lamps has already been completed by EESL for the second phase and the distribution will start from June.

While EESL is mandated to procure the unassembled components of the lamps, IIT-B has the responsibility of distribution and assembling of the solar powered lamps. The creation of demand at the ground level is also the mandate the premier technical institute.

By December 2018, we are confident to distribute the seven million solar lamps, Garnaik added.