Mehbooba Mufti launches UJALA scheme in Jammu and Kashmir

Jammu, Aug 28 (PTI) Jammu and Kashmir Chief MinisterMehbooba Mufti today launched the central government’s UJALAscheme in the state with the distribution of LED bulbs amongpeople. The National LED programme was launched by Prime MinisterNarendra Modi in January 2015. Under this scheme consumer canbuy five LED bulbs at the rate of Rs 20 each by showingmonthly electricity bills or ID cards. In case of purchase of more than five bulbs, consumersneed to pay Rs 95 per bulb. Speaking on the occasion, Mufti said the UJALA scheme hadalready become "a national revolution". "Government acknowledges the great savings that the schemeshall bring to the electricity bills of the consumers and hasmade sincere efforts to ensure that the people of Jammu andKashmir have access to this national scheme," said Mufti. "It will cut down your electricity bills and shall bringin more brightness into your life," she said. Highlighting the importance of energy conservation throughthe spread of LED bulbs, Mufti said it was much moreeconomical to conserve power, than to produce power. "When we speak of electricity and the need to ensure thatit reaches everyone, we only think of its generation and thathow many plants did we install, how many dams did we build orhow many power stations are there in a city or town, however,it is time we look at the alternative, that of savingelectricity," Mufti said. "With each watt saved, we generate one watt ofelectricity. As one LED bulb consumes one tenth of the energyconsumed by a normal yellow bulb, we shall be saving enormousamount of energy if we are able to replace the 80 lakhinefficient bulbs in our state with LED bulbs," she added. The Chief Minister said the government was working on a"comprehensive roadmap to augment the generation, transmissionand distribution systems" to ensure quality power supply tothe consumers, adding it was with this augmented power sector,that the state’s economy could be "revitalised" with becauseof its cascading effect on all sectors. Mufti urged the consumers to come forward and purchase theLED bulbs "so that their monthly electricity bills are reducedand they contribute positively towards energy conservation". The scheme will be implemented in the state by Jammu andKashmir Power Development Department in collaboration withEnergy Efficiency Services Limited (EESL). PTI TSS AB CHT RGCHT