STATE TIMES NEWS
JAMMU: Chief Minister, Mehbooba Mufti on Sunday formally launched the Ujala Scheme in Jammu and Kashmir with the distribution of LED bulbs among consumers at a function organised at the Convention Centre here.
Deputy Chief Minister, Dr Nirmal Singh, Speaker Legislative Assembly, Kavinder Gupta, Minister for Animal and Sheep Husbandry, Abdul Ghani Kohli and several Legislators were present on the occasion.
The National LED programme was launched by the Prime Minister in January 2015 with a target of replacing 77 crore incandescent lamps with LED bulbs. UJALA is successfully running across various states in the country.
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). This scheme is introduced to benefit the consumers and save their day to day energy bill. Under this scheme 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.
The LED bulbs will be distributed through special counters setup at designated places. There will be phase-wise distribution and the location of counters would be communicated through awareness campaigns to inform the consumers.
Speaking on the occasion, the Chief Minister said that the UJALA scheme has already become a national revolution and today it is at our doorsteps. She further said that the government acknowledges the great savings that the scheme shall bring to the electricity bills of the consumers and has made sincere efforts to ensure that the people of J&K have access to this national scheme. “It will cut down your electricity bills and shall bring in more brightness into your life”, she added.
Deputy Chief Minister said that J&K is the only state offering these LEDs at Rs 20 each which is lowest in the country.
Principal Secretary to Chief Minister, Navin Kumar Choudhary, Divisional Commissioner Jammu, Dr Pawan Kotwal, Commissioner Secretary PDD, Dheeraj Gupta, IGP Jammu, Danesh Rana and Development Commissioner Power, Sheikh Ayaz Gul were present on the occasion.
