Visakhapatnam: Andhra Pradesh will begin distributing energy-efficient induction cooktops and compatible utensils to 11,400 Anganwadi centres across the state on Thursday, 5 June, marking World Environment Day.Plans are underway to extend this initiative to all 55,607 AWCs under the National Efficient Cooking Programme (NECP). The switch to induction stoves is expected to reduce recurring LPG costs, with annual savings estimated at around Rs 25 crore. It is also projected to prevent approximately 28,327 tonnes of CO₂ emissions each year.The NECP was formally launched a few months ago in Andhra Pradesh by chief minister N Chandrababu Naidu in the presence of Union minister for housing, power, and urban development, Manohar Lal Khattar. The distribution of stoves and utensils will commence on Thursday.Led by the AP dept of women and child welfare, the initiative aligns with the Union govt’s ‘Go Electric’ campaign and the NECP, championed by the Bureau of Energy Efficiency (BEE) and Energy Efficiency Services Limited (EESL).The large-scale distribution programme will be inaugurated by minister for women, child welfare, and tribal welfare, G Sandhya Rani, alongside public representatives in Vijayawada on Thursday. They will oversee the distribution of energy-efficient induction cooktops and compatible utensils to Anganwadi centres. Minister Sandhya Rani, secretary (department of women and child welfare) Surya Kumari, and director M Venu Gopal Reddy expressed gratitude to chief minister Naidu and Union minister Khattar for their continued guidance. They also acknowledged the contributions of chief secretary K Vijayanand, BEE, EESL, and other state designated agencies for their collaborative efforts.Anil Malik, secretary of the Union ministry of women and child development, praised Andhra Pradesh’s efforts at a national conference held in Udaipur, Rajasthan. “Having studied best practices from 12 major states, the partnership between AP govt and EESL serves as a national role model for implementing the NECP on a saturation basis. The women and child welfare department of the AP govt has taken the lead in eliminating fossil fuels from cooking at AWCs. All other states will have to follow suit sooner or later,” said Malik.EESL CEO Shri Vishal Kapoor, along with top officials including CGM Shri Animesh Mishra, is currently monitoring and overseeing implementation.Meanwhile, the Bureau of Energy Efficiency has assured full support for scaling and replicating Andhra Pradesh’s clean cooking model across the country and encourages other states to adopt similar sustainable initiatives for long-term impact.
