New Delhi, March 20: The National Productivity Council has signed an agreement with the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change to act as the Environment Audit Designated Agency (EADA) under the Environment Audit Rules, 2025, in a move aimed at strengthening environmental compliance and monitoring across the country.
The council, which functions under the Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade in the Ministry of Commerce and Industry, will now be responsible for managing the national environmental audit framework, including certification and registration of auditors, capacity building and monitoring of audit processes.
According to the agreement, NPC will oversee the development of eligibility criteria for environmental auditors, conduct certification examinations and maintain a system to monitor the performance of registered auditors. It will also undertake training programmes, workshops and awareness initiatives to build capacity for implementing the audit framework effectively.
The environmental audit system has been introduced under the Environment Audit Rules, 2025, notified on August 29, 2025. The framework is intended to strengthen compliance with key environmental laws such as the Environment (Protection) Act, 1986, the Water (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act, 1974, the Air (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act, 1981 and the Wild Life (Protection) Act, 1972, among others.
Officials said the new framework will also help industries comply with regulatory approvals such as Environmental Clearance, Consent to Establish and Consent to Operate issued by competent authorities.
As the designated agency, NPC will manage certification of Certified Environmental Auditors (CEA) and registration of Registered Environmental Auditors (REA), while also developing digital systems to support environmental audit processes and maintain a publicly accessible online register of certified auditors.
The council will also have powers to set guidelines and standards for auditors, monitor their performance and take disciplinary action where necessary.
The government said the initiative is expected to improve transparency, strengthen monitoring systems and institutionalise standardised environmental auditing practices nationwide, while supporting sustainable industrial growth.
With a network of 13 offices across India, including its headquarters in New Delhi, NPC is expected to play a central role in implementing the environmental audit system and supporting better environmental governance.
