Guntur Municipal Corporation receives prestigious United Nations ‘GEM’ Award
Context:
Recently, the Guntur Municipal Corporation (GMC) of Andhra Pradesh has gained global recognition by winning the fourth Gender Equality Mobilization (GEM) Award, presented by the United Nations Industrial Development Organization in Vienna. At a ceremony held in Vienna, the capital of Austria, GMC was honored for its inclusive and sustainable development initiatives.
Key Points:
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- Sustainable Cities Integrated Approach Pilot (SCIAP): The main foundation of Guntur’s success is the ‘Sustainable Cities Integrated Approach Pilot’ (SCIAP) project. This project is funded by the Global Environment Facility (GEF) and implemented by United Nations Industrial Development Organization and UN-Habitat.
- Objective: To integrate sustainability into urban planning and promote investment in green infrastructure.
- Pilot Cities: In India, along with Guntur, cities such as Bhopal, Jaipur, Mysuru, and Vijayawada have been selected under this project.
- Objective: To integrate sustainability into urban planning and promote investment in green infrastructure.
- Gender-Inclusive Waste Management Model: The primary reason for the award is GMC’s model that links waste management with women’s empowerment.
- E-Auto Initiative: The corporation trained more than 200 women as electric auto drivers and deployed them for door-to-door waste collection.
- Formal Employment: The program identified informal waste pickers and provided them with skill training, enabling dignified and formal employment.
- Green Economy: By replacing diesel vehicles with electric vehicles, the corporation has taken steps toward zero-emission goals, helping address climate change challenges.
- E-Auto Initiative: The corporation trained more than 200 women as electric auto drivers and deployed them for door-to-door waste collection.
- Sustainable Cities Integrated Approach Pilot (SCIAP): The main foundation of Guntur’s success is the ‘Sustainable Cities Integrated Approach Pilot’ (SCIAP) project. This project is funded by the Global Environment Facility (GEF) and implemented by United Nations Industrial Development Organization and UN-Habitat.
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UNIDO and India:
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- UNIDO: It is a specialized agency of the United Nations headquartered in Vienna, with a mission to promote Inclusive and Sustainable Industrial Development (ISID).
- India’s Role: India is a founding member of UNIDO and actively participates both as a recipient and a contributor to its programs.
- UNIDO: It is a specialized agency of the United Nations headquartered in Vienna, with a mission to promote Inclusive and Sustainable Industrial Development (ISID).
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Conclusion:
Guntur’s model follows a “bottom-up” approach, where local-level innovations create a global impact. It demonstrates how Urban Local Bodies (ULBs) can combine modern technology (EVs) with social inclusion to build a self-reliant and environmentally sustainable ecosystem.
