VIJAYAWADA: The Andhra Pradesh Government’s clean-cooking initiative covering 55,746 Anganwadi centres is set to receive global recognition, with Energy Efficiency Services Limited (EESL) showcasing the state’s program at an international platform in Ravensburg, Germany.
Invited by the German agency Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ), EESL—a public sector enterprise under the Union Ministry of Power—will participate in a high-level study tour from September 28 to October 2, 2026, to share India’s experience in scaling energy efficiency and climate-resilient solutions.
The international knowledge-exchange platform will bring together global policymakers, technology providers, industry experts, and development partners.
While EESL will present various successful sub-national clean-energy models—including Maharashtra’s decentralised solar systems, Gujarat’s energy-efficient buildings, Bihar’s smart metering, and Uttar Pradesh’s national street-lighting programs—Andhra Pradesh’s Anganwadi initiative will receive special focus as a national benchmark for integrating social welfare, nutrition delivery, and energy efficiency. EESL CEO Akhilesh Kumar Dixit is scheduled to make a detailed presentation on the execution of the clean-cooking project, implemented across 55,746 Anganwadi centres under the Department of Women and Child Welfare in Andhra Pradesh.
The initiative systematically replaces conventional, polluting cooking methods with modern induction cooktops and energy-efficient utensils, providing a safer working environment for Anganwadi staff.
According to EESL estimates, the transition yields significant operational and environmental benefits: a 30 per cent reduction in institutional cooking costs, the creation of smoke-free kitchens, improved indoor air quality for young children and health workers, and an annual reduction of 28,327 tonnes of CO2 emissions.
EESL attributed the project’s rapid rollout and operational efficiency to the active guidance of Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu, sustained monitoring by the Chief Minister’s Office, and the dedicated efforts of the state administration.
The program also aligns with the Ministry of Power’s broader National Efficient Cooking Programme, serving as a template for modernising public infrastructure.
By demonstrating how basic clean-energy interventions can drive measurable outcomes across women and child welfare, nutrition, and environmental sustainability, the Andhra Pradesh model offers global delegates a practical roadmap for institutional decarbonisation.
