V.P. Mahendru, CMD, EON Electric Ltd

India is all set to become the most-populous country in the world by 2030. An anticipated increase in urban population of 500 million people during 2010-2050 in megacities like Delhi, Mumbai, Bangalore, and Kolkata will pose a huge challenge to meet the electricity demand. Smart LED lighting is the only solution to address the power shortage for lighting purposes which leaves less carbon footprint as compared to conventional lighting solutions such as CFLs, halogens and incandescent lights.

This year, we request the finance minister to give special impetus to the electrical lighting sector by reducing the excise duty on the manufacturing of LED Lights and reduction of import duties on raw material for LED lighting products. This will help India to achieve its mission of using LEDs for all lighting needs by 2019 which will save Rs.40,000 crore annually for our nation.

We also request the government to put a check on the import of spurious and Chinese LED/lighting bulbs, as the same could jeopardize the government’s energy efficiency targets without serving the very purpose of using of LED Lights. Hence our government should increase the custom duty on the import of LED / lighting bulbs / CFLs. This move will support Govt’s “Make in India” campaign in a big way.

We also seek government to consider an establishment of SEZ for manufactures in the LED lightning domain, which will help to reduce production cost for LED manufacturers and thus make it available to all not only within cities and towns but also in villages and other rural areas which need light.

(V.P. Mahendru sharing his expectations from the upcoming Union Budget 2018)