- Why in news
- On 21 January 2026, NITI Aayog released three decarbonisation roadmaps, for the cement, aluminium and MSME sectors, to align industry with Viksit Bharat 2047 and net-zero by 2070.
- What it is
- These are sector-specific roadmaps by NITI Aayog, India's government policy think tank. They set out how high-emission and high-employment industries can cut emissions while output grows. They were prepared with line ministries, industry, research institutions and knowledge partners.
- Cement output
- Cement production is projected to rise about sevenfold to ~2100 million tonnes in 2070 from 391 million tonnes in 2023.
- Aluminium output
- Aluminium production is projected to rise from 4 million tonnes in 2023 to 37 million tonnes by 2070.
- Aluminium phases
- Short term: RE-RTC power and better grid connectivity; medium term: nuclear power; long term: CCUS.
- MSME levers
- The MSME roadmap rests on energy-efficient equipment, alternative fuels and green electricity.
- Publisher
- NITI Aayog is the government's policy think tank, chaired by the Prime Minister.
Don’t confuse with Clinker substitution vs refuse-derived fuels: Clinker substitution cuts process emissions by using materials like fly ash or slag in cement; refuse-derived fuels replace fossil fuels in kilns.
Reports and indices: 14 Prelims questions since 2013; they test who publishes a report and what it measures.
Why it matters
- Cement and aluminium are hard-to-abate sectors, so sector roadmaps support the net-zero 2070 goal.
- MSME focus links climate action with jobs, exports and supply-chain competitiveness.
Problems
- CCUS is costly and not yet proven at scale in India.
- MSMEs face limited access to affordable finance, technology and skills.
Way forward
- Use cluster-based implementation for MSMEs.
- Make the Carbon Credit Trading Scheme work for cement and aluminium, and scale up round-the-clock renewables.
Put in your answer
Cement levers: Refuse-derived fuels, clinker substitution, CCUS and the Carbon Credit Trading Scheme.
MSME importance: MSMEs give nearly 30% of GDP, over 250 million jobs and about 46% of exports.
- 2019Mains GS1 · Q6Whether regional resource-based manufacturing can promote employment in India
- 2014Mains GS3 · Q13Whether carbon credits and CDM should continue despite falling credit values
- 2025Mains GS3 · Q18Review India's Paris and COP26 climate commitments and updated first NDC
- 2021Prelims Q29What the UNEP-supported Common Carbon Metric is developed for
- 2025Prelims Q31Cement industry emissions, clay and limestone use, and clinker chemistry statements
- 2026Prelims Q45Which statements on green hydrogen production and India's mission are correct
UPSC’s own questions that come close to this issue, from our Prelims and Mains banks.
Prelims practice · Statements
Ours, not from a UPSC paper
Consider the following statements:
- 1.The NITI Aayog cement roadmap projects cement production to rise about sevenfold by 2070 from its 2023 level.
- 2.The cement roadmap targets cutting carbon intensity from 0.63 tCO2e per tonne to nearly zero by 2070.
- 3.The aluminium roadmap proposes nuclear power as the short-term solution and CCUS as the medium-term solution.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
True or false?
1 of 6
Statements the way Prelims prints them. Say first, then see the fact.
1.The NITI Aayog cement roadmap projects cement production to rise about sevenfold by 2070 from its 2023 level.
True. From 391 million tonnes in 2023 to about 2100 million tonnes in 2070.
2.The aluminium roadmap proposes nuclear power as the short-term solution and CCUS as the medium-term solution.
False. Short term: RE-RTC and grid connectivity; medium: nuclear; long: CCUS.
3.The roadmaps link industrial decarbonisation to India's pledge of net-zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2070.
True. India has pledged net-zero by 2070.
4.The MSME roadmap focuses on energy-efficient equipment, alternative fuels and green electricity.
True. These are its three key levers.
5.The national objective cited in the release is to raise manufacturing's share in GDP from 17% to 25%.
True. Manufacturing share is to rise from 17% to 25% of GDP.
6.MSMEs are stated to contribute nearly 46% of national GDP and about 30% of exports.
False. MSMEs contribute nearly 30% of GDP and about 46% of exports.
Written by us from the release, not by UPSC; checked by a second model.
Mains practice
15 marks · 250 words
NITI Aayog has recently released decarbonisation roadmaps for the cement, aluminium and MSME sectors to align industrial growth with Viksit Bharat 2047 and the net-zero target of 2070. Examine the challenges in decarbonising these hard-to-abate and employment-intensive sectors, and suggest a way forward.
Worth revising until Prelims 2027: most news questions come within two years of the event.