13 firms apply under PLI scheme for ACs, LED lights with investment pledges of ₹1,914 crore

Thirteen companies have submitted applications under the fourth round of the Production Linked Incentive (PLI) scheme for white goods, committing investments worth ₹1,914 crore, the commerce and industry ministry said on Thursday.

More than half of the new applicants are micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs), signalling rising confidence among smaller manufacturers in joining the domestic air-conditioner and LED lighting supply chain, the ministry said in a statement.

The application window for Round 4, originally open from September 15 to October 14, was extended till November 10 "in view of the strong industry response and increasing investment appetite under the Scheme."

Of the 13 applicants, one is an existing beneficiary under the scheme and has proposed an additional investment of Rs 15 crore.

Nine companies have sought incentives for manufacturing air-conditioner components, with combined proposed investments of ₹1,816 crore. Their proposals cover key parts including copper tubes, aluminium stock, compressors, motors, heat exchangers and control assemblies.

The remaining four applicants have planned investments of ₹98 crore for LED component production, including LED chips, drivers and heat sinks.

According to the ministry, the proposed investments span six states across 13 districts and 23 locations, and are expected to support regional industrial growth and job creation.

The PLI scheme for white goods has, so far, drawn committed investments of ₹10,335 crore from 80 approved beneficiaries.

The scheme is expected to generate production worth ₹1.72 lakh crore and create about 60,000 direct jobs.

Approved by the Union Cabinet in April 2021, the scheme has a total outlay of ₹6,238 crore and aims to build a complete component ecosystem for ACs and LED lights. It seeks to raise domestic value addition from the current 15–20% to 75–80%.