The Government has appealed to the consumers to switch to LED bulbs and support its efforts to save energy.  The Ministry of Power said  that the Unnat Jyoti by Affordable LEDs for all (UJALA), government’s  energy saving initiative has already resulted in 5,57,00,270 KWh worth of energy savings and reduced over 45,000 tonnes of carbon emissions. Consumers should not get influenced by surveys presenting incorrect information about the distribution process of the UJALA scheme.

Recently, there was a survey conducted by an independent research organization Localcircles.com stating that a significant number of citizens in the country are not aware of the process of obtaining a LED bulb under the scheme. The Power Ministry has clarified that UJALA has benefitted more than 5 crore citizens across 18 states and 4 UTs in India, which has been possible only through robust distribution and awareness mechanisms. The Ministry has also ensured that awareness of its UJALA programme reaches every beneficiary, irrespective of their social and economic background.

The online survey by Localcircles.com presents an incomplete picture of the UJALA scheme. The online survey claims to be conducted across 20 plus states and 56 cities. However, there are four states where the scheme has not taken off owing to necessary state government approvals. The Ministry of Power is engaging with the respective state governments and ensuring that the scheme is rolled out soon. The survey also ignores states like Himachal Pradesh and Jammu & Kashmir, where the scheme has been successful. The survey has also been conducted in cities like Noida and Ghaziabad, where the scheme is yet to take off.