The objective of the project was to build a Proof of Concept (PoC) of an Urban Observatory platform for Karnataka, which can carry out geo-spatial data analyses and visualisation to enable data-driven decision-making.

CSTEP is expanding its extensive work in the health sector to develop a smart-contract framework for managing child health and malnutrition. Blockchain is an emerging technology that complements AI and Big Data for providing transformative social solutions. Smart contracts and federated ledgers are the most important aspects of the blockchain technology.

CSTEP’s Health and Nutrition solution using AI is aimed at managing the health and nutrition of children and new mothers. While image-based solutions can increase the accuracy and effectiveness of health and malnutrition tracking, photo- and fingerprint-based solutions can authenticate reliable service delivery to beneficiaries. AI with advanced analytics and machine learning will provide risk assessment, causal analysis and recommendations to nodal agencies.

In December 2015, the MoEFCC notified emission standards for limiting Sulphur Oxides (SOx), Nitrogen Oxides (NOx), Particulate Matter of size <10 µm (PM10) and Mercury (Hg) emission

CSTEP is one of the project consortium partners and the lead sector partner for Energy Sector Emissions Estimates in the GHG Platform India project.The Platform is a collective civil-society initiative, established with an objective to provide independent estimation and analysis of India’s greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions across key sectors such as energy, waste, industry, agriculture, livestock, forestry, and land-use and land-use change sectors.

CSTEP developed a roadmap to achieve  India’s NDC target of reducing its emissions intensity by 33%-35% of 2005 levels, while meeting our developmental goals. We examined the emission intensity of Gross Domestic Product (GDP) (kgCO2e/INR) by its two constituents: emission intensity of energy (kgCO2e/kWh) and energy intensity of GDP (kWh/INR). The latter was evaluated in detail to assess the role of energy efficiency in end-use sectors.

CSTEP studied the implementation of the Ujwal DISCOM Assurance Yojana (UDAY) in Karnataka. UDAY, launched by the Government of India in 2015, aims to improve the financial health of state-owned power distribution companies (DISCOMs). Based on the study findings, CSTEP recommended measures for effective implementation of the scheme in order to meet its objective of reducing losses among DISCOMs and increasing operational efficiency.