Modi launches Rs.10 per LED bulb scheme in Delhi

New Delhi, Jan 5 (IANS) Prime Minister Narendra Modi Monday launched an LED bulb distribution scheme in the capital under which the power-saving lamp will be made available to people at an initial cost of Rs.10.

He replaced one bulb in the South Block - which houses several ministries - symbolically launching the efficient lighting programme for Delhi and a national programme for LED-based home and street lighting.

Through a web-based system launched by Modi, Delhiites will be able to register their requests for procuring LED bulbs under the scheme. They can also send an SMS to a designated number for the same.

The bulbs will be provided to all domestic consumers at an initial payment of Rs.10 each, and Rs.10 will be added each month in their electricity bills for 12 months to recover the bulb's cost, an official statement said.

Hence, the cost of an LED bulb for domestic consumers will be Rs.130 compared to the market price which ranges from Rs.350 to Rs.600, it added.

The estimated annual savings for households in Delhi per LED bulb will be Rs.162. The LED bulbs will have a warranty of three years, the government said.

The bulbs shall be distributed in a phased manner from March onwards.

Describing the LED bulb as "Prakash Path" -- a "path to light", Modi appealed to celebrities and other eminent people to promote their usage to conserve energy.