Today's Brief 17/09/2025

1 .National Energy Conservation Awards (NECA) 2025: an initiative by the Bureau of Energy Efficiency (BEE) under the Ministry of Power, Government of India, has been announced to recognize outstanding efforts in energy conservation and efficiency across various sectors.

The awards ceremony will take place on December 14, 2025, in New Delhi, coinciding with National Energy Conservation Day.

A significant new addition for the 2025 awards is a category for "Content Creators and Influencers," which aims to use digital media to promote energy efficiency and sustainable living, aligning with the Mission LiFE (Lifestyle for Environment) vision.

To be eligible, content creators must have at least 10,000 followers and create original short videos (under 90 seconds) in Hindi or another Indian language on themes such as saving energy at home, using 5-star appliances, or celebrating festivals responsibly.

2 .Swachhata Hi Seva campaign: The "Swachhata Hi Seva" (SHS) campaign is a major nationwide cleanliness drive under the Swachh Bharat Mission, launched by the Indian government to transform sanitation into a mass movement.

The initiative aims to reinforce the idea that cleanliness is a collective responsibility, not just the government's.

The campaign, which typically runs from September 17 to October 2, concluding on Gandhi Jayanti, is centered on visible cleanliness in public spaces and ensuring the well-being of sanitation workers.

Its main pillars include cleaning up neglected "black spots" or garbage dumps in both urban and rural areas, promoting widespread public participation through community-led activities and awareness campaigns, and organizing health and social security camps for sanitation workers.

By fostering a "whole-of-society" approach, the campaign seeks to create a cleaner, healthier, and more sustainable environment for everyone through shramdaan (voluntary labor) and other collaborative efforts.

3 . National Policy on Geothermal Energy: The Government of India, through the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE), has announced the National Policy on Geothermal Energy, marking a significant step towards leveraging the country's vast untapped geothermal resources.

The policy aims to establish geothermal energy as a key pillar in India's renewable energy landscape, contributing to the nation's Net Zero 2070 commitment.

Key objectives of the policy include promoting research and development, fostering collaboration with international bodies and the oil and gas sector, and developing a robust public-private ecosystem.

The policy encourages diverse applications of geothermal energy, from electricity generation to direct-use applications in agriculture, heating, and cooling, and promotes the use of indigenous technologies to reduce reliance on imports.

It also outlines a framework for streamlining permits and offering fiscal incentives, such as viability gap funding and tax exemptions, to make geothermal projects financially viable.

This move is expected to unlock India's estimated geothermal potential of 10 Gigawatts, identified across 10 geothermal provinces by the Geological Survey of India.