PM vows to distribute 77 crore LED lights

New Delhi, Aug 15  Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday said saving energy was a focus of his government and pledged to distribute 77 crore electricity efficient LED lights at a subsidized rate of Rs 50 each.

"We want to distribute 77 crore more LED bulbs. I urge you all to use LED bulbs, save energy and take part in helping our nation," Modi said in his Independence Day speech from the Red Fort.

"When 77 crore LED lights will be used in the country, India can save up to 20,000 MW energy and electricity worth around Rs 125 crore."

He said the government had brought down the cost of a Rs 350 LED bulb to Rs 50.

"I do not want to ask where all that money used to go (during the previous governments). I am happy to inform you that we have distributed 13 crore such bulbs."

Modi said when he took power in 2014, more than 18,000 villages in India did not have electricity. 

"When we came to power, we decided they must get electricity within a thousand days. Not even half the time has passed and 10,000 villages have got already electricity."