Jharkhand Bijli Vitaran Nigam Limited (JBVNL) along with Energy Efficiency Services Limited (EESL) is distributing 30,000 LED bulbs daily in Jharkhand. This has been the average number of bulbs distributed over a span of four months. This number also implies that every second there are three conventional bulbs being replaced with LED bulbs.
Till now, 36, 71,366 LED, bulbs have been distributed to urban households with a subsidy of 4000 per cent. JBVNL is distributing 9W bulbs at an EMI or Rs 10 per bulb after attaining a price or Rs 100 via EESL’s subsidy benefit. The market rate for these bulbs is Rs 400 per bulb.
The scheme has motivated even the economically backward community to opt for replacement of conventional bulbs. This has resulted in nearly 37 lakh LED bulbs being distributed over a span of four months. The scheme had been originally rolled out in Jharkhand on November 15.
As per JBVNL’s managing director, Rahul Purvar, “Many consumers, who could afford have bought bulbs at Rs 100 per piece without opting for the instalment facility, but the option of paying in instalments helped push the idea to all sections” .
Purvar further stressed that once the LEDs had been distributed in urban households and streetlights had been converted, the government is planning to take the scheme to rural parts of the state where LED bulbs are going to be distributed to those having unmetered connections as well.