The State government which is swiftly progressing ahead with integrated development of both urban and rural areas has decided to kick start yet another revolutionary program of energy efficient LED street lighting to significantly change the appearance of villages.
The villages which having an inadequate lighting in the past shall now glow brightly with energy efficient LED street lighting. The shifting of street lights to LED is set to give an average of Rs 77 crore annual revenue to the gram panchayats.
Minister for IT and Panchayat Raj, Nara Lokesh, had directed the officials to complete installation of 10 lakh LED street lights in around 7,094 gram panchayats of 7 districts in nine months. These street lights would be installed by M/s. Energy Efficiency Services Ltd (EESL), in coordination with the State government.
Lokesh would also monitor a tripartite agreement to be entered between Panchayat Raj, EESL, Central government and the Andhra Pradesh State Energy Efficiency Development Corporation (APSEEDC) on July 17. Minister for Energy K Kalavenkata Rao would also be present when the government signs the historical tripartite agreement.
The State which has created world record in installation of more than 6 lakh LED street lights in all 110 municipalities and is reaping benefits with 40-45 per cent energy and monetary savings is going to re-write its own record by installation of huge number of LED street lights in the villages this time.
With Zero-upfront investment by the State governemnt, the Panchayat LED street lighting is implemented in a unique economic model, wherein 20 per cent of the deemed savings under the project shall be shared with the panchayats, while the remaining 80 per cent of the savings will serve as a re-payment to EESL and the Central government.
Out of the 30 lakh LED street lights to be installed, the government would install 10 lakh LEDs in seven districts of Guntur, Nellore, Kurnool, Kadapa, Chittoor, Ananthapur and Prakasam. In addition to this, the New and Renewable Energy Development Corporation of AP (NREDCAP) will install 5 lakh LEDs in Srikakulam, Vizianagaram, Visakhapatnam and the two Godavari districts.
Source: http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/vijayawada/ap-to-install-led-street-lights-in-villages/articleshow/59620947.cms