The plan anticipates that the energy efficiency initiatives already undertaken will result in a saving of 10,000 MW by the end of 2012. It is adding four new initiatives: a market-based mechanism by which industry may trade energy savings certificates; making energy-efficient appliances more affordable; financing demand management by capturing future energy savings; and developing fiscal instruments to promote energy efficiency.

The mission on sustainable habitat is meant to improve energy efficiency in buildings, to manage solid waste and to shift from private to public transport. There will be an energy conservation building code. Developing power from waste will be a focus area. It will also look at adapting to climate change by developing community based disaster management systems and improving extreme weather warning systems.

The national water mission will be about conservation and more equitable distribution between parts of the country. It will use differential pricing to improve water use efficiency. It will also look at recycling of waste water for urban use and desalination plants for coastal cities. The plan envisages rainfall and river flows will change due to global warming, and the mission will develop strategies to deal with it.

The mission on Himalayan ecosystems will study in more detail the retreat of glaciers due to climate change, an ongoing phenomenon that threatens India's major perennial water supply source.

The "Green India" mission is about tree plantation on degraded forest land. Six million hectares are earmarked for this already, with the aim of enhancing India's forest cover to 33 percent from less than 23 percent now.

The mission on sustainable agriculture is about developing new crop varieties that can better withstand climate change effects such as weather extremes, long dry spells and flooding. "India will spearhead efforts at the international level to work towards an ecologically sustainable green revolution," says the plan.

The mission on strategic knowledge is about research on causes and effects of climate change at the physical and socioeconomic levels. The mission will create a climate science research fund.

Each mission will prepare specific objectives and programmes that go up to 2017. These programmes are to be prepared by the end of this year, says the plan.