Question : LED Street Lights in Gram Panchayats

(a) whether the Government is implementing any scheme to promote the use of LED lights in place of conventional street lights in gram panchayats;

(b) if so, objectives and details of the scheme;

(c) the difficulties/challenges being faced by the Government in the implementation of the scheme;

(d) the steps taken by the Government to overcome such difficulties;

(e) whether there is any improvement in the related indices after the implementation of the scheme, if so, the details thereof including the State-wise distribution of the related indices; and

(f) whether the Government is undertaking any other policies for promoting the retrofitting of conventional street lights with LED lights in gram panchayats, if so, the details thereof?

THE MINISTER OF STATE (INDEPENDENT CHARGE) FOR POWER,
COAL, NEW & RENEWABLE ENERGY AND MINES

( SHRI PIYUSH GOYAL )

(a) & (b) : The Hon’ble Prime Minister, on 5th January 2015, launched Street Lighting National Programme (SLNP) to replace conventional street lights with smart and energy efficient LED street lights by March 2019. The programme is being implemented by Energy Efficiency Services Limited (EESL), a joint venture company of Public Sector Undertakings (PSUs), under Ministry of Power. 554 Urban Local Bodies (ULBs) have been enrolled by EESL for implementation of SLNP.

Based on the experience gained in implementation of SLNP, EESL has entered into a Tripartite Agreement with Department of Panchayat Raj and Rural Development, Government of Andhra Pradesh and Andhra Pradesh State Energy Efficiency Development Corporation to replace 10 lakh conventional street lights with LED street lights in Gram Panchayats of 7 districts (Guntur, Prakasam, Nellore, Kurnool, Kadapa, Anantapur and Chittoor) in Andhra Pradesh.

The objectives of the scheme are to promote the use of efficient lighting in rural areas to reduce energy consumption and to improve security and safety with better lighting.

(c) & (d) : No significant difficulties/challenges are being faced in implementation of SLNP.

(e) : The replacement of 10 lakh conventional street lights with LED street lights in Gram Panchayats of 7 districts in Andhra Pradesh will result in an estimated energy savings of 147 million units and reduction in Green House Gas (GHG) emission of 120 million tonnes of CO2.

(f) : Ministry of Panchayati Raj, Government of India has requested the States to issue instructions to make LED based lighting mandatory in the buildings of Gram Panchayats and affiliated offices and all community lighting projects funded by Government /Panchayats.

Further, the Ministry of Power has also requested all State Governments as well as all Ministries/Departments of the Central Government to issue necessary instructions to make the installation of LED based lighting mandatory in all Government buildings as well as in all community lighting projects funded by the Government.

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