our national missions

1
ED’s Note SustaiNuance | | 03 September One of the oft repeated statements that one hears in green seminars, boardrooms and interactions is the role played by the government. Depending on which side is speaking, there is either much praise or too much angst about the role played by the GoI. There are of course the firsts - the Ministry of New Renewable Energy headed by Farooq Abdullah is the first of its kind anywhere in the world. Also, there has been no paucity of planning commissions, national visions and other things. Purely from a policy front, India does not score too low. After all, even Barrack Obama could not bring about a green revolution, though he evangelised the same. Yet, the sum of all the parts does not add up significantly, simply because it’s all scattered and being done in various silos. Let me share with you an instance. Sustainability as a practice and effort with an enterprise, at varying times, falls under the ambit of Ministry of Corporate Affairs, Ministry of Power, Ministry of Non- Renewable Energy, Ministry of Environment and Forests, and others depending on the efforts undertaken. To add to the conundrum, there are various governmental and inter-governmental departments that deal on different aspects. Like, the Bureau of Energy Efficiency that is meant to drive the uptake of energy star products and green buildings. And if this wasn't a khichdi (mishmash) enough, the federal structure of India ensures that there's much overlap on what is under the jurisdiction of the central government or state government. Little wonder then, some states in India are pioneers in terms of green while others are laggards. There is no parity among what one Indian state has achieved with that of another. Much like the fabled Gordian Knot that held an ox-cart standing resting in the palace of the former kings of Phrygia at Gordium in ancient times, the policy framework on sustainability and CSR in India is all tied up too intricately to make sense of. For an outsider the complexity can be fairly perplexing. So what's the solution to this knotty affair? In fact, the very legend of the Gordian knot also comes along with a solution as well. According to the same, the knot stood entangled for many centuries challenging one and all, till came along a young upstart from Macedonia, with visions to conquer the world. At first, he tried his hand at finding an end of the cornel bark and on not finding any, drew his sword and sliced it in half, thereby untying the knot. This is out-of-box thinking that challenges the norm and has the courage to strike at the status quo. We need modern days Alexanders who have a grand vision and the necessary wherewithal to achieve it, too. Let's look and analyse the ones around to check whether such a leader is there in our midst, and if not let's nurture a few; and encourage them to go through. Do we have such leaders? In this issue, we discuss threadbare the various government missions undertaken to promote the uptake of green and sustainability. We have received fabulous response to our first edition; quite a bagful of suggestions and encouragement. You will see quite many of them being incorporated in the coming issues. In the meantime, let those mails keep coming, sharing with us your views, stories, suggestions or even criticisms. Drop a mail on [email protected]. Till next time! Untangling Gordian Knot Sustainability's The federal structure of India ensures that some states in India are pioneers in terms of green while others are laggards. Shashwat DC Editor -in-Chief

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A broad review of India's national missions, an ambitious plan to turn India

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Page 1: Our national missions

ED’s Note

SustaiNuance | | 03 September

One of the oft repeated statements that one hears in green seminars, boardrooms and interactions is the role played by the government. Depending on which side is speaking, there is either much praise or too much angst about the role played by the GoI. There are of course the firsts - the Ministry of New Renewable Energy headed by Farooq Abdullah is the first of its kind anywhere in the world. Also, there has been no paucity of planning commissions, national visions and other things. Purely from a policy front, India does not score too low. After all, even Barrack Obama could not bring about a green revolution, though he evangelised the same.

Yet, the sum of all the parts does not add up significantly, simply because it’s all scattered and being done in various silos. Let me share with you an instance. Sustainability as a practice and effort with an enterprise, at varying times, falls under the ambit of Ministry of Corporate Affairs, Ministry of Power, Ministry of Non-Renewable Energy, Ministry of Environment and Forests, and others depending on the efforts undertaken. To add to the conundrum, there are various governmental and inter-governmental departments that deal on different aspects. Like, the Bureau of Energy Efficiency that is meant to drive the uptake of energy star products and green buildings. And if this wasn't a khichdi (mishmash) enough, the federal structure of India ensures that there's much overlap on what is under the jurisdiction of the central government or state government. Little wonder then, some states in India are pioneers in terms of green while others are laggards. There is no parity among what one Indian state has achieved with that of another.

Much like the fabled Gordian Knot that held an ox-cart standing resting in the palace of the former kings of Phrygia at Gordium in ancient times, the policy framework on sustainability and CSR in India is all tied up too intricately to make sense of. For an outsider the complexity can be fairly perplexing. So what's the solution to this knotty affair?

In fact, the very legend of the Gordian knot also comes along with a solution as well. According to the same, the knot stood entangled for many centuries challenging one and all, till came along a young upstart from Macedonia, with visions to conquer the world. At first, he tried his hand at finding an end of the cornel bark and on not finding any, drew his sword and sliced it in half, thereby untying the knot. This is out-of-box thinking that challenges the norm and has the courage to strike at the status quo. We need modern days Alexanders who have a grand vision and the necessary wherewithal to achieve it, too. Let's look and analyse the ones around to check whether such a leader is there in our midst, and if not let's nurture a few; and encourage them to go through. Do we have such leaders? In this issue, we discuss threadbare the various government missions undertaken to promote the uptake of green and sustainability.

We have received fabulous response to our first edition; quite a bagful of suggestions and encouragement. You will see quite many of them being incorporated in the coming issues. In the meantime, let those mails keep coming, sharing with us your views, stories, suggestions or even criticisms.

Drop a mail on [email protected]. Till next time!

UntanglingGordian Knot

Sustainability's

The federal structure of India

ensures that some states in India are pioneers in terms

of green while others are laggards.

Shashwat DC Editor -in-Chief