Srinagar, Dec 29, KDC: Jammu and Kashmir’s transition from paper files to digital administration has resulted in major environmental gains, eliminating an estimated 10,294 tonnes of CO₂ emissions every year, according to new research published by Secretary, Science and Technology, Shahid Chodhary.
The study highlights that the carbon savings are equivalent to planting more than 450,000 trees annually or removing over 2,200 cars from the road permanently.
The digital shift, initiated in 2021, has helped the administration avoid printing 405.7 million pages, significantly reducing the carbon footprint linked to paper manufacturing, transport and waste disposal. The research notes that 3,343 tonnes of CO₂ emissions were cut every year from reduced paper production alone, protecting tens of thousands of trees from being felled.
In addition, the research published by Dr Shahid Chodhary, who is an IAS officer in the government of Jammu and Kashmir, observed that more than 17,286 employees now work remotely through secure government VPN networks, reducing dependence on physical file movement and routine office commuting. This has resulted in an estimated 1,041 tonnes of transport-related CO₂ emissions avoided annually, with no trucks hauling file boxes across long and sensitive terrains.
The research, according to news agency Kashmir Dot Com further states that 114,826 government officials have processed 3.75 million official files and 34 million receipts digitally, without paper, proving that the system is not only faster and more transparent but also environmentally transformative.
A total of 290 preliminary operational assessments were also conducted as part of administrative monitoring to measure emissions reduced at various workflow levels, it adds.
The study, covering the period from 2018 to 2025, analyzed administrative records, transport logs and energy consumption patterns using international environmental research methodologies, making it the first comprehensive assessment of the ecological impact of digital public administration in a Himalayan governance ecosystem.
Chodhary, in his findings, emphasized that climate action is often associated with large industrial interventions, while the carbon footprint of government operations remains an overlooked contributor. The study argues that digital governance can deliver immediate, measurable and large-scale carbon reductions, especially in ecologically sensitive mountain regions like Jammu and Kashmir.
The report suggests that the J&K model can be replicated across India, particularly in other Himalayan and mountain states that face similar challenges of fragile ecosystems, difficult terrain and high administrative dependence on paper and physical transport.
The research concludes that digital public administration is no longer just an efficiency upgrade, but an environmental necessity, and urges policymakers across India to consider carbon audits of governance systems to scale operational climate action. (KDC)
