VIJAYAWADA: Energy Efficiency Services Limited (EESL) has unveiled its ground-breaking National Efficient Cooking Programme (NECP) to redefine cooking practices nationwide by promoting affordable and energy-efficient induction cooker as an alternative to traditional methods relying on imported liquefied natural gas (LNG) or biomass.
The NECP, a brainchild of the Ministry of Power, introduces induction-based stoves offering a remarkable cost advantage of 25-30% over conventional cooking methods. With the deployment of a staggering 20 lakh induction stoves nationwide, EESL aims to not only ensure substantial energy savings but also to offer cost-effective cooking solutions to households across the country.
The new initiative is set to reduce the environmental impact of cooking methods, ensuring cleaner air and improved health for citizens, while simultaneously addressing the strategic need to reduce reliance on foreign energy sources. Minister for Power RK Singh, who unveiled the NECP, has emphasised the urgency of reducing dependence on imported energy sources.
“Electric cooking is one way to reduce dependence on imported sources for energy. There is absolutely no difference between food cooked using e-cooking and gas,” he asserted.EESL Chief Executive Officer Vishal Kapoor said, “EESL marks a significant milestone in its journey towards a greener, more energy-efficient India with NECP, a step towards reducing carbon footprints in Indian households.”
EESL’s past initiatives, including the distribution of millions of LED bulbs under Ujala and the installation of street lights under the Street Lighting National Programme, have made substantial impacts, reducing energy consumption, preventing peak demand, and cutting CO2 emissions.
The NECP aims to continue this legacy by revolutionising cooking practices, offering substantial cost savings and promoting electric cooking as a sustainable solution. All the States, including Andhra Pradesh, which is in the forefront in implementation of various EESL programmes, has been urged to make the NECP a grand success.