The following is a list of representative organizations that are in charge of environmental regulations in India.
- Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change, MoEFCC
- Central Pollution Control Board, CPCB
- Ministry of Commerce and Industry
- Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade, DPIIT
- Ministry of Chemicals and Fertilizers
- Ministry of Power
- Bureau of Energy Efficiency, BEE
- Ministry of Jal Shakti
- Ministry of New and Renewable Energy, MNRE
- Ministry of Labour & Employment
Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change, MoEFCC
The Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC) is an administrative body of the central government that plans, promotes, coordinates and supervises environment and forest policies and programs in India. The priority role of the MoEFCC is to implement policies and programs related to the conservation of natural resources, including lakes, rivers, biodiversity, forests and wildlife, in India to ensure animal welfare and pollution control and prevention. The Ministry also plays the role of a central organization that interacts with UNEP, SACEP, ICIMOD, etc. and is entrusted with matters related to CSD, GEF, ESCAP, SAARC, etc..
Central Pollution Control Board, CPCB
The Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) is a subordinate body of the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC), established in September 1974 under the Water (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act, 1974 to prevent and control water pollution in India. The Air (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act, 1981 gave the CPCB the authority to control air pollution in addition to its existing right to control water pollution. The CPCB has provided technical advice and assistance to the MoEFCC on the provisions of the Environment (Protection) Act, 1986.
Ministry of Commerce and Industry
The Ministry of Commerce and Industry is the central agency responsible for supervising and regulating trade and industrial operations, and for the growth and development of industry and internal and external trade.
Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade, DPIIT
The Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT) was established in the year 1995 and was reconstituted in the year 2000 with the merger of the Department of Industrial Development. The department was earlier called Department of Industrial Policy & Promotion and was renamed as DPIIT in January, 2019.The role of DPIIT is to promote/accelerate industrial development of the country by facilitating investment in new and upcoming technology, foreign direct investment and support balanced development of industries. In 2018, matters related to e-commerce were transferred to the Department and in 2019, the Department has been given charge for matters related to Internal Trade, welfare of traders and their employees and Startups.
Ministry of Chemicals and Fertilizers
The Ministry of Chemicals and Fertilizers (MoCF) was established in June 1991 and is responsible for formulating policies and regulations related to the chemical, petrochemical and pharmaceutical industries.
The MoCF is composed of the following three agencies.
Department of Chemicals and Petrochemicals
Department of Fertilizers
Department of Pharmaceuticals
Ministry of Power
The Ministry of Power, established on July 2, 1992, is the central ministry in charge of India’s power infrastructure. The main tasks of the Ministry of Power are to formulate electricity policies, promote and supervise power infrastructure projects, and enforce the Electricity Act, 2003 and the Energy Conservation Act, 2001.
Bureau of Energy Efficiency, BEE
The Bureau of Energy Efficiency (BEE) was established on March 1, 2002 under the Energy Conservation Act, 2001 and is a subordinate body of the Ministry of Electricity. The main task of BEE is to promote energy efficiency and conservation. In order to promote energy efficiency and conservation, BEE formulates policies and government plans, and implements various programs.
For example, BEE is in charge of the Standards & Labeling Programme, which rates the energy efficiency of electrical products on a 5-star scale and requires labeling to inform consumers, and the Energy Conservation Building Code, which sets energy conservation standards for buildings.
Ministry of Jal Shakti
The main tasks of the Ministry of Jal Shakti are: 1) to formulate policies on water resources management; 2) to monitor the status of irrigation facilities and flood management; 3) to formulate groundwater use plans and monitor and assist the states in their groundwater use; and 4) to monitor and coordinate rivers and projects across multiple states.
Ministry of New and Renewable Energy, MNRE
The Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE) is the central government agency that deals with matters related to new and renewable energies, and its main objective is to expand the use of these energies for energy security. The main tasks of MNRE are to: 1) analyze and promote research and development on new and renewable energies; 2) increase the share of environmentally friendly energies such as renewable energies; 3) establish energy security to avoid dependence on oil imports by developing alternative fuels; and 4) guarantee and increase energy availability and access.
Ministry of Labour & Employment
Main responsibility of the Ministry of Labour & Employment is to protect and safeguard the interests of workers in general and those who constitute the poor, deprived and disadvantage sections of the society, in particular, with due regard to creating a healthy work environment for higher production and productivity and to develop and coordinate vocational skill training and employment services. Government’s attention is also focused on promotion of welfare and providing social security to the labour force both in organized and unorganized sectors, in tandem with the process of liberalization.