VIJAYAWADA: Andhra Pradesh has emerged as a frontrunner in India’s clean energy transition with the rollout of the National Efficient Cooking Programme (NECP), launched in December 2024 by Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu in the presence of Union Minister for Housing, Power, and Urban Development Manohar Lal Khattar.
The programme’s progress was highlighted at a recent national conference in Udaipur, Rajasthan, where Anil Malik, Secretary of the Ministry of Women and Child Development, praised Andhra Pradesh’s partnership with Energy Efficiency Services Ltd. (EESL), a joint venture under the Ministry of Power.
Calling the initiative a ‘national role model,’ Malik said the State’s approach to eliminating fossil fuels from cooking in Anganwadi Centres (AWCs) sets a benchmark for others. In the first phase, the State distributed induction cooktops and compatible utensils to 11,400 AWCs, with plans to cover all 55,607 centres. The shift from LPG to 1200W induction stoves is expected to reduce cooking-related carbon emissions, improve safety by eliminating open flames, and cut fuel costs by up to 30%.
The move also promises better working conditions for Anganwadi workers, especially during summer months.
On April 7, Women and Child Welfare Secretary Surya Kumari and Director Venu Gopal Reddy are scheduled to meet a three-member EESL technical team from New Delhi—Animesh Mishra, Nitin Bhatt, and Nikhilesh Katariya—to finalise the next phase of implementation.
The Bureau of Energy Efficiency (BEE) has commended the State’s efforts, with Secretary Milind Deore and Deputy Director General Ashok Kumar recognising the leadership of Chief Secretary K Vijayanand and Surya Kumari.
The BEE is considering promoting the Andhra model nationwide.
