Mehbooba Mufti launches Ujala scheme in J&K

Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti on Sunday launched the Ujala scheme in the state, distributing LED bulbs to consumers here.

Speaking at the function organised at the Convention Centre here, she said that the scheme has already become a national revolution, and her government, acknowledging the great savings that the scheme will bring to the consumers' electricity bills, has made sincere efforts to ensure that the state's people have access to it.

"It will cut down your electricity bills and shall bring in more brightness into your life", she added.

Describing electricity pivotal to sustenance, the Chief Minister said that it is an essential commodity and everyone has equal right to energy. She added that access to electricity, being a major factor for the economic development, will be a stepping stone in their journey towards economic growth.

"When we speak of electricity and the need to ensure that it reaches everyone, we only think of its generation and that how many plants did we install, how many dams we built or how many power stations are there in a city or town... however it is time we look at the alternative, that is of saving electricity," she said.

Ujala, or the National LED programme, was launched by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in January 2015 with a target of replacing 77 crore incandescent lamps with LED bulbs and is successfully running across various states.

UJALA, an acronym for Unnat Jyoti by Affordable LEDs for All, is a scheme for registered domestic electricity consumers to be implemented by Jammu and Kashmir Power Development Department in collaboration with Energy Efficiency Services Limited (EESL).

Under this scheme, a consumer can buy 5 LED bulbs at the rate of Rs 20 each on production of photostat copy of photo identity card and latest electricity bill. In case of purchase of more than five bulbs, consumers need to pay Rs 95 per bulb.

--IANS

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