NITI Aayog's big push for greener small businesses
NITI Aayog just rolled out a plan to help India's MSMEs (that's micro, small, and medium enterprises) go green.
The roadmap includes setting up a national agency to guide these businesses through eco-friendly upgrades—think energy-saving equipment, cleaner fuels, and more green electricity—all aiming for India's net-zero emissions goal by 2070.
Why should you care?
MSMEs power 30% of India's economy and provide jobs to 250 million people, but they also pumped out 135 million tons of CO2 in 2022 alone.
Going green isn't just good for the planet—it helps these businesses stay competitive globally, especially with new EU rules making exports pricier if they aren't climate-friendly.
The report does not quantify emissions reductions over a 10-year horizon, but it says the plan could attract major private investment and create thousands of new green jobs.
As MSME Secretary S.C.L. Das put it, working together in clusters is key to making this shift happen faster and smarter.