• With a view to create awareness among the consumers of fossil fuels, Petroleum Conservation Research Association (PCRA), Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas  launched a month long campaign,highlighting the adverse health and environmental impacts of increasing carbon footprints. 

    • SAKSHAM’s idea is to convince consumers to switch to cleaner fuels and bring in behavioral change to use fossil fuel intelligently.

    • The campaign through various pan-India activities such as cyclothon, farmer workshops, seminars, painting competition, CNG vehicle driving contest, etc will spread awareness among masses about the advantages of using clean fuels.

    • The campaign will also spread awareness about 7 key drivers that Prime Minister Narendra Modi recently mentioned,saying that collectively these would help India move towards cleaner energy.

    • The key drivers include moving towards

        ◦ a gas-based economy

        ◦ cleaner use of fossil fuels

        ◦ greater reliance on domestic sources to drive bio-fuels

        ◦ achieving renewable targets with the set deadlines

        ◦ increased use of electric vehicles to decarbonize mobility

        ◦ increased use of cleaner fuels like Hydrogen

        ◦ digital innovation across all energy systems.

    • As per the ministry Saksham campaign will help in reducing fuel consumption and adoption of energy efficiency measures which lead to better lives of the people, healthy environment, sustainability and development of the country.

    • The theme of this year’s campaign focuses on conserving fossil fuels and on promoting green energy.

    • A Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was signed between PCRA and EESL for promotion of Energy Efficient PNG Stove on the occasion.

    • Last year's edition of SAKSHAM saw over 1.48 crore school children participating in PCRA's flagship National Competitions that were organized to disseminate important message of fuel conservation energy efficiency and environment protection amongst youngsters.

    • In the month-long event, almost nine crore people were directly reached through about forty-seven thousand programmes across the country.

    • Over the years PCRA has been at the forefront of promoting energy efficiency and conservation in various sectors and have been working towards sensitizing citizens about the need to adopt cleaner and greener forms of energy.

(The author is a trainer for Civil Services aspirants. The views expressed here are personal.)