LED bulbs’ market rates need to be affordable: Goyal

New Delhi: Power Minister Piyush Goyal on Wednesday noted the need for correction of the retail market price of light emitting diode (LED) bulbs and suggested industry look for more innovative retail platforms in order to make it more affordable for the people.

“The world today is looking for the massive roll out of LED programme in India,” he said while announcing the milestone of distributing over 3 crore LED bulbs by Energy Efficiency Services Limited (EESL) under the government’s Domestic Efficient Lighting Programme (DELP).

Goyal said the success of the programme will strengthen India’s stand at the forthcoming climate change talks at Paris and will present India as a responsible nation.

At an event here earlier this year, Goyal had urged the lighting industry to correct the market price of LED, saying there cannot be a situation where the government procures LED bulbs at Rs.72 per unit and the market continues to price it very high.

Stressing the government stands committed to making the LED a way of life in India, he said that it will completely replace all incandescent bulbs with LED lights in the next three years.

“This will provide a huge business opportunity to the lighting industry. I hope some of the players can also now start manufacturing LED lights and not just assemble,” he said.