Bengaluru, May 15 : In what could become a landmark model for grassroots climate governance in India, the Government of Karnataka is working towards formulating climate action plans at the level of individual gram panchayats covering all 5,994-gram panchayats and 314 urban local bodies across the state.
The announcement was made by Shri. T Mahesh, Director, Administration Department, Environmental Management and Policy Research Institute (EMPRI), Government of Karnataka, while delivering a Special Address at the Conclave on Advancing Sustainability: Collaboration and Innovation to Accelerate Net-Zero, organised by the Bangalore Chamber of Industry and Commerce (BCIC) in Bengaluru today. He further added, "Karnataka's ambition is to make every gram panchayat a unit of climate accountability, where a farmer in Bidar and a panchayat leader in Kodagu both understand, own and act on their role in India's net-zero journey. We are not waiting for the world to change; we are building that change from the ground up to all the villages.”
Speaking on the occasion, Mr. Prashant Gokhale, President, BCIC, said,
“Sustainability is not merely a corporate agenda discussed in boardrooms, but a personal responsibility that begins with each individual. Today, humanity consumes Earth’s yearly resources within just the first quarter of the year, meaning we are borrowing from future generations at an alarming pace. Sustainability starts from everyday actions, reducing food wastage, conserving water and energy and being mindful of consumption habits. Rather than relying only on large-scale technologies or policies, meaningful change can come through small, conscious efforts by individuals, industries and communities to preserve resources and create a better future for the generations to come.”
From State to Village: A First in India
The Gram Panchayat-Level Climate Plan is a part of State Action Plan on Climate Change Version 2, revised in 2024 in alignment with India's Paris Agreement commitments. The state has mapped 105 Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) across 50 departments from agriculture and horticulture to urban development monitored monthly at the apex level by the Chief Secretary of Karnataka. The next frontier is to carry this momentum all the way down to every gram panchayat, making climate accountability a village-level reality.
Why This Matters
If Karnataka succeeds, it would be the first state in India to institutionalise climate action planning at the panchayat level a replicable blueprint for the country's 2.5 lakh gram panchayats and a significant step towards meeting India's NDC commitments from the ground up.
District-level training programmes on climate KPIs are already underway across the state in 2026, building the foundation for this decentralised push.
Conclave and Report Release on ‘Collaboration, Innovation and Net-Zero Imperative’
The event brought together distinguished policymakers, industry leaders, sustainability experts, and corporate representatives deliberating on innovative pathways towards sustainability and net-zero transformation.
Distinguished speakers included Mr. Srikanth BP, Chief Manufacturing Officer, TTK Prestige Ltd; Mr. Rajeev R Tripathi, Chairperson, Supply Chain Management Centre (SCMC), IIM Bangalore; Ms. Manasi Bhagat, Head-CSR, Sustainability and Communications, AUMOVIO India Pvt Ltd; and Ms. Radhica Kanniganti, Head-ESG and Sustainability, Wipro Ltd. Eminent Sustainability practitioners including Mr. Rajesh Jha, Chairman, Dr. KS Ravichandran, Co-Chairman and Mr. V C Mohan, Mentor from Sustainability Expert Committee, BCIC shared their insights with the audience. Mr. Rajesh Jha, said, “True sustainability is not built on presentations or commitments alone, the planet appreciates actions, not promises. Through collaboration, innovation and the sharing of best ESG practices, we can simplify sustainability, align it with our culture and collectively work towards a meaningful net-zero future.”
BCIC also released a collaborative report on 'Collaboration, Innovation and Net-Zero Imperative.' Coinciding with the conclave, BCIC members were awarded for their outstanding contribution and best practices in various categories of Sustainability through the Sustainability Awards 2026.
