The government has decided to give preference to domestic producers of LED lights in procurement for various projects.
LED (light-emitting diodes) lights are considered to be more energy-efficient.
According to PTI, S K Marwah, director, Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology, at LED Summit organised by Messe Frankfurt Trade Fairs India in Mumbai said that domestic LED manufacturers will get 50 per cent preference for government procurement projects. We are working towards a target of net zero imports by 2020 for electronics sector and attract investments of USD 100 billion by 2020.
There are some 200 LED manufactures in India, and government programs such as Smart Cities, Startup India and Digital India have given impetus to the sector, he said.
Speaking at the event, Electric Lamp and Component Manufacturers Association of India (ELCOMA) general manager D Christopher said, that CFL (lights) will be extinct by 2018 as they will be replaced by LED. By 2020, the lighting business is expected to reach around Rs 260 billion, of which Rs 230 billion will be contributed by LED.
To reduce lighting power consumption from 18 per cent to 13 per cent by 2020, the existing domestic light sockets and street lights should be replaced with LED, he said.