President Murmu Felicitates Winners of National Energy Conservation Awards 2025
National Energy Conservation Day 2025 was celebrated at Vigyan Bhawan, New Delhi, where President Droupadi Murmu honoured the winners of the National Energy Conservation Awards (NECA) and the National Painting Competition on Energy Conservation. The event, organised by the Bureau of Energy Efficiency (BEE) under the Ministry of Power, highlighted India’s enduring commitment to energy efficiency, sustainability, and responsible energy use.
Energy Conservation: A Necessity, Not an Option
Addressing the gathering, President Murmu stressed that energy conservation remains the most dependable and environment-friendly energy source. She observed that saving energy equates to producing energy without burdening natural resources. As one of the fastest-growing economies, India must meet its rising energy demands sustainably, driven by expanding electrification, urbanisation, industrial growth, and improved living standards.
India’s Leadership in Global Energy Transition
Minister of Power and Housing & Urban Affairs, Shri Manohar Lal, reaffirmed India’s leadership in the global clean energy transition. He said the country has aligned its goals with the Paris Agreement to keep global temperature rise below two degrees Celsius. He highlighted that India’s emissions have grown at a rate far slower than its GDP, proving that the nation has successfully decoupled economic growth from greenhouse gas emissions.
He noted that India reached 50% of its installed power capacity from non-fossil sources—five years ahead of its Nationally Determined Contributions (NDC) target. The Ministry of Power’s Renewable Consumption Obligation (RCO), he added, mandates designated consumers such as DISCOMs and captive power plants to source a minimum share of electricity from renewable sources.
Recognising Efforts and Inspiring Citizens
Minister of State for Power, Shri Shripad Yesso Naik, commended the NECA’s tradition of honouring outstanding achievements in energy conservation. He emphasised that true conservation extends beyond technology to everyday behaviour, where switching off unused lights and choosing energy-efficient appliances can have a cumulative impact. He praised India’s youth for embracing sustainability, noting that growing participation among students reflects the vision of a “New India.”
Secretary of the Ministry of Power, Shri Pankaj Agarwal, credited the Prime Minister’s leadership for integrating energy efficiency into India’s development strategy. He noted that green growth, energy security, and the Viksit Bharat 2047 goals depend on prudent energy use.
BEE’s Director General, Shri Dhiraj Kumar Srivastava, announced the addition of a new award category for Social Media Influencers and Digital Content Creators to recognise their role in spreading awareness about energy conservation.
Highlights of the 2025 Awards
For the 2025 edition, BEE received 558 applications across sectors, including Industry, Buildings, Transport, Institutions, Appliances, Innovation, and Professional categories. The awards featured 25 First Prizes, 5 Second Prizes, 26 Certificates of Merit, and 3 Certificates of Recognition under the Innovation Awards.
The National Painting Competition on Energy Conservation 2025, initiated in 2005, witnessed participation from over 80 lakh students across the country. The event was organised at school, state, and national levels for students in Classes 5–10. The national-level competition took place on 11 December in New Delhi, where the President presented awards to the winners in both categories.
The celebration reaffirmed India’s dedication to a cleaner, more sustainable energy future through innovation, youth engagement, and responsible consumption.
with inputs from Reuters