21 Jun

Environment, Energy & Urban Sustainability Schemes

Scheme / Initiative	Launch (Date/Year) & Implementing Agency	Objective / Key Features	Important Facts, Data, Impact, Pollution Type, Coverage
National Solar Mission (NSM)	11 Jan 2010; Ministry of New & Renewable Energy (MNRE); launched under NAPCC by Govt. of India	Promote solar power, energy security, reduce fossil-fuel dependence, support climate commitments	Solar capacity: 9 GW (2016) → 97.86 GW (2024); Solar Parks: 34 → 58; India among world's top solar nations
National Plan for Conservation of Aquatic Ecosystems (NPCA)	2013; MoEFCC	Conservation of wetlands and lakes, biodiversity protection, water quality improvement	Coverage: 165 wetlands; Funding: ₹1,088.85 Cr (2023); Supports Ramsar sites; combats water pollution, wetland degradation
Green India Mission (GIM)	2015-16; MoEFCC; under NAPCC	Increase forest/tree cover, carbon sink creation, ecosystem restoration	Target: 5 million ha new forest cover + 5 million ha quality improvement; supports NDC commitments
FAME India Phase-II	1 April 2019; Ministry of Heavy Industries	Promote EV adoption, charging infrastructure, domestic manufacturing	Outlay: ₹11,500 Cr; 2,636 charging stations sanctioned across 62 cities
PM-KUSUM	March 2019; MNRE	Solar pumps, decentralized solar generation, reduce diesel usage in agriculture	6.1 lakh+ solar pumps installed; 35 lakh pumps solarized; improves farmer income and energy security
National Clean Air Programme (NCAP)	Jan 2019; MoEFCC	Reduce urban air pollution, PM10 reduction, improve AQI	Covers 131 cities; Target: 40% PM10 reduction or NAAQS attainment by 2025-26; 95 cities improved PM10 levels
Nagar Van Yojana	2020; MoEFCC	Urban forestry, biodiversity parks, public participation	Target: 1000 Urban Forests; 385 projects sanctioned; combats Urban Heat Island effect
CCDC Wind Initiative	June 2020; MNRE & NIWE	Wind resource mapping, data collection, wind energy promotion	800+ wind monitoring stations; Wind capacity: 21 GW (2014) → 48 GW (2025)
Swachh Bharat Mission (Urban) 2.0	Oct 2021; Ministry of Housing & Urban Affairs	Garbage Free Cities, waste processing, dumpsite remediation	Waste processing: 16% (2014) → 80.3% (2025); 7,783 processing facilities established
National Green Hydrogen Mission	Jan 2023; MNRE	Make India global green hydrogen hub	Outlay: ₹19,744 Cr; Target: 5 MMT hydrogen/year by 2030, 6 lakh jobs, ₹8 lakh Cr investments
PM Surya Ghar: Muft Bijli Yojana	Feb 2024; MNRE	Rooftop solar for households, free electricity benefits	Target: 1 crore households by 2027; 7 lakh+ installations within first year
Electric Mobility Promotion Scheme (EMPS)	March 2024; Ministry of Heavy Industries	Transitional EV subsidy scheme after FAME-II	Outlay: ₹500 Cr; Focus on e-2W and e-3W
PM E-DRIVE	11 Sept 2024 (Operational: 1 Oct 2024); Ministry of Heavy Industries	Comprehensive EV ecosystem, charging infra, e-buses, e-trucks	Outlay: ₹10,900 Cr; 14,028 e-buses; 22,100 fast chargers planned
Ek Ped Maa Ke Naam	2024; MoEFCC	Tree plantation in honour of mothers	Supports Mission LiFE, afforestation, climate action
Matri Van Initiative	2025; MoEFCC, Haryana Govt.	Urban forest restoration in Aravallis	750-acre forest in Gurugram; called "Lungs of NCR"
Swachh Vayu Diwas Campaign	Annual (7 Sept); MoEFCC	Air pollution awareness and NCAP review	Linked with UN International Day of Clean Air for Blue Skies

Air Pollution Frameworks & Portals

Initiative	Launch	Implementing Agency	Key Facts
GRAP (Graded Response Action Plan)	2017	CAQM, MoEFCC	Emergency air pollution response in Delhi-NCR
SAFAR	2010	Ministry of Earth Sciences	Real-time air quality forecasting
AQI System	2014	CPCB	Air quality categorized as Good to Severe
SAMEER App	CPCB	Pollution complaint and AQI monitoring	Citizen participation
PRANA Portal	NCAP Platform	MoEFCC	Monitors NCAP implementation
PARIVESH Portal	2018	MoEFCC	Single-window environmental clearance portal

BS-VI Emission Standards

Particular	Details
Launch	1 April 2020
Implementing Agency	MoRTH, CPCB
Purpose	Reduce vehicular emissions
Pollutants Controlled	PM, NOx, HC, CO
Fuel Standard	Sulphur reduced from 50 ppm (BS-IV) to 10 ppm (BS-VI)
Impact	68% reduction in NOx emissions from diesel vehicles

Pollution Type → Cause → Solution → Scheme Mapping

Pollution Type	Major Causes	Solution	Scheme
Air Pollution	Vehicles, stubble burning, industries, dust	EVs, NCAP, GRAP, BS-VI	NCAP, PM E-DRIVE, EMPS, GRAP
Water Pollution	Sewage, industrial waste, wetland loss	Wetland restoration, sewage control	NPCA
Soil Pollution	Chemical fertilizers, residue burning	Organic matter restoration	CRM, PM-KUSUM
Carbon Emissions	Fossil fuels	Solar, Wind, Green Hydrogen	NSM, PM-KUSUM, NGHM
Urban Heat Island	Loss of green cover	Urban forests	Nagar Van Yojana, Matri Van
Solid Waste Pollution	Landfills, waste dumping	Processing, recycling	SBM-U 2.0

World Ranking & Major Targets (Exam Facts)

Topic	Data
India's Ramsar Sites	99 (April 2026)
Renewable Energy Capacity	162.48 GW (Dec 2024)
Non-Fossil Capacity	217.62 GW (Jan 2025)
Solar Capacity	97.86 GW
Wind Capacity	48.16 GW
Green Hydrogen Target	5 MMT by 2030
Net Zero Target	2070
Additional Carbon Sink Target	2.5–3 Billion Tonnes CO₂ equivalent by 2030
NCAP Coverage	131 Cities
SBM-U Waste Processing	80.31%
EV Registrations	44 Lakh+ (2024)
Rooftop Solar Target	1 Crore Households by 2027

One-Line Prelims Revision

NSM (2010) → Solar Revolution.
NPCA (2013) → Wetlands & Lakes Conservation.
GIM (2015-16) → Forest Cover Expansion.
NCAP (2019) → Air Pollution Control.
PM-KUSUM (2019) → Solarized Agriculture.
Nagar Van (2020) → Urban Forests.
SBM-U 2.0 (2021) → Garbage Free Cities.
NGHM (2023) → Green Hydrogen Economy.
PM Surya Ghar (2024) → Rooftop Solar for Homes.
EMPS (2024) → EV Transition Scheme.
PM E-DRIVE (2024) → Comprehensive EV Ecosystem.
GRAP → Emergency AQI-based Pollution Response.
SAFAR → Air Quality Forecasting.
PARIVESH → Environmental Clearance Single Window Portal.

RRB JERRB JE CBT2

National Solar Mission NSM Solar Energy Renewable Energy PM Surya Ghar Muft Bijli Yojana PM-KUSUM National Green Hydrogen Mission Green Hydrogen Hydrogen Economy Energy Security Renewable Energy Capacity Wind Energy CCDC Wind Initiative NIWE Offshore Wind Energy Carbon Neutrality Net Zero 2070 Climate Change Mitigation Sustainable Development National Clean Air Programme NCAP Air Pollution PM10 PM2.5 AQI Air Quality Index GRAP Graded Response Action Plan SAFAR CPCB CAQM Air Pollution Control Urban Air Quality Swachh Vayu Diwas Environmental Governance Swachh Bharat Mission Urban 2.0 SBM-U 2.0 Solid Waste Management Garbage Free Cities Circular Economy Waste to Energy Municipal Solid Waste Legacy Dumpsites Urban Sanitation Green India Mission GIM Afforestation Reforestation Forest Conservation Carbon Sink Nagar Van Yojana Urban Forestry Matri Van Initiative Ek Ped Maa Ke Naam Biodiversity Conservation Urban Biodiversity Climate Resilience National Plan for Conservation of Aquatic Ecosystems NPCA Wetland Conservation Ramsar Sites Wetlands Rules 2017 Ecosystem Restoration Water Security Aquatic Ecosystems Electric Mobility Promotion Scheme EMPS PM E-DRIVE FAME India Electric Vehicles EV Ecosystem EV Charging Infrastructure Electric Buses Electric Mobility Green Mobility Sustainable Transport BS-VI Emission Standards Vehicular Emissions Pollution Control Environmental Sustainability PARIVESH Portal Environmental Clearance Single Window System MoEFCC MNRE Ministry of Heavy Industries Sustainable Cities Urban Development SDG 11 SDG 13 Mission LiFE Climate Action Energy Transition Decarbonisation Environmental Policies India UPSC Environment UPSC Ecology UPSC Science and Technology UPSC Economy BPSC Environment RRB JE CBT-2 Environment Current Affairs Environment Government Schemes India PIB Environment.

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