Raja Syed Rather
Over 1.88 lakh LED street lights have been installed across Jammu and Kashmir under Street Lighting National Programme (SLNP) till March 31, 2025, the Government of India informed Lok Sabha on Thursday.
In a reply to a question, Minister of Power, Manohar Lal said that the Government of India launched the Street Lighting National Programme (SLNP) in 2015 to improve energy efficiency in public lighting by installing LED streetlights across urban and rural areas. Energy Efficiency Services Limited (EESL), under the Ministry of Power, is responsible for implementing the initiative.
“As of March 31, 2025, a total of 1,88,860 LED streetlights have been installed across Jammu & Kashmir, while Ladakh is yet to be covered under the programme,” he said.
SLNP has significantly reduced power consumption nationwide, resulting in an estimated 8.8 billion kWh of annual electricity savings and financial savings of Rs 6,178 crore for municipalities and local bodies.
The SLNP is a self-financing initiative executed by EESL, with no direct budget allocation from the central government. The programme operates on a revenue-sharing model with state governments and urban local bodies.
While implementation has been largely smooth, EESL faces outstanding payments of Rs 2,700.54 crore from various states and urban local bodies, which remains a challenge. The Ministry of Power is actively engaging with concerned authorities to ensure the timely release of dues.
Although Ladakh has not yet been covered under SLNP, the future expansion is expected to focus on strategic urban and rural areas, ensuring enhanced connectivity and energy efficiency in the region.
