NITI Aayog launches state energy and climate index

NITI Aayog launches state energy and climate index

What is the news :

• NITI Aayog has launched the State Energy & Climate Index-Round I on 11^thApril 2022 at an event chaired by Dr. Rajiv Kumar, Vice Chairman, NITI Aayog.

• Parameters: The State Energy and Climate Index (SECI) ranks states and UTs on six parameters:
  • Discoms’ (Power distribution companies) Performance,
  • Access Affordability And Reliability Of Energy,
  • Clean Energy Initiatives,
  • Energy Efficiency,
  • Environmental Sustainability,
  • New Initiatives.

• The parameters are further divided into 27 indicators. Based on the composite SECI Round I score, the states and UTs are categorized into three groups: Front Runners, Achievers, and Aspirants.
• The states have been categorized based on size and geographical differences as larger states, smaller states, and UTs.
• Gujarat, Kerala, and Punjab have been ranked as the top three performers in the category of larger states.
• Goa, emerged as the top-performing state in the smaller states category, followed by Tripura, and Manipur.
• Among UTs, Chandigarh, Delhi, and Daman & Diu/Dadra & Nagar Haveli are the top performers.

The objectives of the index are: 

• Ranking the States based on their efforts towards improving energy access, energy consumption, energy efficiency, and safeguarding environment.
• Helping drive the agenda of affordable, accessible, efficient and clean energy transition at the State level.
• Encouraging healthy competition among the states on different dimensions of energy and climate.

Top Three States among Larger States Category:

1. Gujarat
2. Kerala
3. Punjab

Top Three States among Smaller States Category:

1. Goa
2. Tripura
3. Manipur

Top Three UTs:

1. Chandigarh
2. Delhi
3. Daman & Diu/Dadra & Nagar Haveli

Need:

• India is a resource-rich and diverse country.Many of its states are comparable to countries in the European Union in terms of area, population, and diversity of resources.
  • Thus, a one-size-fits-all approach will not be appropriate as each state and Union Territory (UT) differ in terms of culture, geography, and use of energy resources.
  • It is imperative for each state and UT to have its own policy to harness its potential and capability.

About NITI Aayog :

• The NITI Aayog(National Institution for Transforming India) is a public policy think tank of the Government of India,.
• The aim of the NITI Aayog is to achieve sustainable development goals with cooperative federalism by fostering the involvement of State Governments of India in the economic policy-making process using a bottom-up approach.
• Founded on 1 January 2015
• Chairman: Narendra Modi
• Vice Chairman: Dr. Rajiv kumar