In Rajasthan, the Energy Conservation Day is celebrated on
- (1)14th December
- (2)5th June
- (3)22nd April
- (4)21st March
Answer
Why
Correct — option (1), 14th December.
Rajasthan's Economic Review 2022-23 describes the energy conservation programme of the Rajasthan Renewable Energy Corporation (RREC). It says RREC has organised the Rajasthan Energy Conservation Awards (RECA) since 2009 and celebrates 14th December as Energy Conservation Day.
In continuation of that, RREC organised the 13th Rajasthan Energy Conservation Awards on 14 December 2022. So the date in the stem is 14th December.
RREC runs this programme in its role, named in the same Review, as the State Designated Agency of the Bureau of Energy Efficiency (BEE) for energy efficiency and energy conservation.
The idea to remember: Rajasthan's Energy Conservation Day is 14 December, the day RREC presents the Rajasthan Energy Conservation Awards.
Why the others are wrong
- (2)5th June — 5 June is World Environment Day. The United Nations says it has been held on 5 June every year since 1973, led by the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP).
It is an environment observance, and it is not the date the Economic Review gives for Rajasthan's Energy Conservation Day.
- (3)22nd April — 22 April is observed by the United Nations as International Mother Earth Day.
It is not the day RREC marks for energy conservation, which the Review gives as 14 December.
- (4)21st March — The UN General Assembly proclaimed 21 March the International Day of Forests in 2012; the day raises awareness of all types of forests.
That makes it a forest observance. Rajasthan's Energy Conservation Day, per the Review, is 14 December.
Concept
Energy conservation means using less energy, by avoiding waste or by getting the same service from less energy through efficient appliances and practices. Energy efficiency is the second route: the same output for less input.
In India, the Bureau of Energy Efficiency (BEE) is the statutory body for energy efficiency set up under the Energy Conservation Act, 2001.
In Rajasthan, the Economic Review 2022-23 names RRECL as BEE's State Designated Agency for promoting energy efficiency and energy conservation.
RPSC's 2023 syllabus lists "Infrastructure & Resources." under Economy of Rajasthan, and the Economic Review reports energy conservation within its power and renewable energy section.
The Review says RREC promotes energy efficient appliances through promotional activities and has taken up pilot projects to showcase energy saving techniques. The Rajasthan Energy Conservation Awards recognise efforts towards energy conservation.
At the national level, RRECL was selected by BEE for a Certificate of Merit in the State Performance category of the National Energy Conservation Award 2022.
Key facts
- Economic Review 2022-23: RREC celebrates 14 December as Energy Conservation Day.
- RREC has organised the Rajasthan Energy Conservation Awards (RECA) since 2009; the 13th RECA were held on 14 December 2022.
- RRECL is the State Designated Agency of the Bureau of Energy Efficiency in Rajasthan and MNRE's State Nodal Agency for non-conventional energy.
- RRECL was selected by BEE for a Certificate of Merit, State Performance category, in the National Energy Conservation Award 2022.
- UN observances: 21 March International Day of Forests, 22 April International Mother Earth Day, 5 June World Environment Day.
Sources: Economic Review 2022-23, Government of Rajasthan, Chapter 5; United Nations observance pages.
Study next
Common traps
- Swapping green-themed days: 5 June is World Environment Day, 22 April International Mother Earth Day and 21 March International Day of Forests; energy conservation is 14 December.
- Mixing the two award schemes: RREC organises the Rajasthan Energy Conservation Awards, while the National Energy Conservation Award is BEE's, in which RRECL itself was selected for a Certificate of Merit for 2022.
- Mixing RRECL's two roles: it is MNRE's State Nodal Agency for renewable energy and BEE's State Designated Agency for energy efficiency and conservation.
A question can ask the date of Energy Conservation Day, or give several observances and ask for the correct date pairs.
A question can also ask which Rajasthan agency organises the state's energy conservation awards, or from which year it has held them.
Related PYQs
UnlockIAS will link similar questions from RAS Pre 2016 and 2013 here once those papers are published on this site.
Practice
- practice — not a real PYQ
According to Rajasthan's Economic Review 2022-23, the Rajasthan Renewable Energy Corporation has been organising the Rajasthan Energy Conservation Awards (RECA) since
- (a)2001
- (b)2005
- (c)2009
- (d)2012
Answer(3) — The Review says RREC has organised RECA since 2009. Option (1) is the year of the Energy Conservation Act and option (4) the year the UN General Assembly proclaimed the International Day of Forests. Option (2) is not a year the Review links to these awards. - practice — not a real PYQ
Which one of the following pairs is correctly matched?
- (a)World Environment Day – 22 April
- (b)International Day of Forests – 21 March
- (c)International Mother Earth Day – 5 June
- (d)Energy Conservation Day in Rajasthan – 5 June
Answer(2) — 21 March is the International Day of Forests. In option (1) World Environment Day is 5 June; in option (3) International Mother Earth Day is 22 April; in option (4) RREC marks Energy Conservation Day on 14 December.