On September 17, various union government departments and agencies published several news releases linked to the environment, climate change, public health, and related social sectors that are important for the country’s present and future. The Plurals has collated the key information for you.
Union heavy industries ministry showcased India’s journey towards electric transportation
Union Minister for Heavy Industries & Steel Shri H.D. Kumaraswamy today interacted with beneficiaries and distributors of electric vehicles (EVs) from across the country at Vigyan Bhawan, New Delhi. The interaction was organised by the Ministry of Heavy Industries (MHI) to provide a platform for EV beneficiaries, distributors and industry stakeholders to share their experiences, perspectives and insights on the adoption and use of electric vehicles.
The programme highlighted the growing electric mobility ecosystem in the country and the Government’s sustained efforts towards promoting clean, sustainable and self-reliant transportation. Dr. Hanif Qureshi, Additional Secretary, Ministry of Heavy Industries, in his Welcome and Opening Remarks, highlighted the Government’s strong policy push for electric mobility and emphasised that localisation is key to building a resilient and self-reliant automotive ecosystem. He noted that initiatives such as PM E-DRIVE and PLI-Auto are supporting domestic manufacturing of critical EV components.
Detailed report link:
https://www.pib.gov.in/PressReleaseDetail.aspx?PRID=2311747®=48&lang=1
Commercial coal mine auction launched and government handed over agreements to earlirt six successful bidders
The Ministry of Coal successfully launched the 16th Round of Commercial Coal Mine Auctions on September 17, 2026, in New Delhi. Shri Satish Chandra Dubey, Minister of State for Coal and Mines, graced the occasion as the Chief Guest.
On the occasion, Shri Satish Chandra Dubey launched the 16th round of commercial coal mine auctions and, along with Shri Vikram Dev Dutt, Secretary, Ministry of Coal, handed over Coal Mine Development and Production Agreements (CMDPAs) to the successful bidders of six coal mines auctioned in earlier rounds.
The six mines together have geological reserves of approximately 1,504 million tonnes and a combined Peak Rated Capacity of 11.62 MTPA. Once operational, they are expected to generate annual revenue of around ₹1,984 crore, attract capital investment of nearly ₹1,743 crore and create approximately 15,700 employment opportunities in the respective coal-bearing regions.
Detailed report link:
https://www.pib.gov.in/PressReleaseDetail.aspx?PRID=2311453®=48&lang=1
Payment for soil carbon for the first time in India
India’s agricultural carbon market has moved from policy to the farm level, with more than 2,500 smallholder farmers in Punjab and Haryana set to receive digital payments for adopting regenerative farming practices. The first payments were released at a programme organised at Punjab Agricultural University (PAU), Ludhiana, marking a new link between sustainable agricultural practices and additional income for farmers. Dr M. L. Jat, Secretary, Department of Agricultural Research and Education (DARE) and Director General, ICAR, initiated the Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT) to 2,550 farmers from Punjab and Haryana.
The payments are part of ‘Aadi’, a Grow Indigo farmer carbon programme launched in 2019 with technical guidance from ICAR. Under the programme, farmers adopted practices such as Direct Seeded Rice (DSR), reduced tillage, and crop residue management between 2019 and 2022. The resulting greenhouse-gas reductions and increases in soil carbon were measured and independently verified before carbon credits were issued. The programme covers more than two million acres and over 100,000 farmers across seven states and has issued agricultural carbon credits under the Verra VM0042 methodology.
Detailed report link:
https://www.pib.gov.in/PressReleaseDetail.aspx?PRID=2311218®=48&lang=1
Digital platform launched to make waste management in cities more effective.
Prof. Ajay Kumar Sood, Principal Scientific Adviser (PSA) to the Government of India, chaired a meeting on 16 September 2026 to review the outcomes and recommendations of the project ‘Development of LCA Framework for Solid Waste Management (SWM) Technologies in India’
Aligned with the vision of national missions like the Waste to Wealth Mission and the Swachh Bharat Mission-Urban, the Office of the PSA supported the project in 2024, which was jointly undertaken by IISc Bengaluru, IIT Madras, and IIT (BHU) Varanasi. It sought to develop a contextual and nationally relevant Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) framework, along with a GHG calculator web application, to help ULBs plan, compare, and optimise solid waste management systems with lower carbon footprints.
Detailed report link:
https://www.pib.gov.in/PressReleaseDetail.aspx?PRID=2311186®=48&lang=1
Mission Mausam’ is further strengthening India’s preparedness to handle weather conditions.
Union Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Earth Sciences, Dr. Jitendra Singh, today virtually inaugurated the India’s 51st state-of-the-art Doppler Weather Radar at Sambalpur, Odisha, in the presence of Chief Minister of Odisha, Shri Mohan Charan Majhi. The inauguration marks a significant addition to India’s weather observation infrastructure and is aimed at strengthening forecasting and early warning capabilities across Western Odisha and adjoining regions.
With the commissioning of the Sambalpur radar, Odisha now has three Doppler Weather Radars, following the installations at Gopalpur and Paradip, while the national network has reached 51 Doppler Weather Radars. The new facility will strengthen weather observations over Western Odisha and provide improved meteorological inputs for adjoining areas of Southern Jharkhand, Northern Chhattisgarh and parts of North Andhra Pradesh and West Bengal.
Detailed report link:
https://www.pib.gov.in/PressReleaseDetail.aspx?PRID=2311270®=48&lang=1