CII Uttarakhand Annual Green Award for 2014 was presented to AVANI, Pithoragarh by IK Pande, financial advisor to Uttarakhand Chief Minister.
Giving away the award Pande said that sustainability in the context of Uttarakhand includes ecological aspects, social aspects involving removal of poverty and alleviating the position of the disadvantaged population. Implementing these require governance perspective, providing rights to the poorest and ensuring these rights. He also emphasised on the need for ensuring the efficiencies of institutions and efficient use of resources.
AVANI was awarded for its outstanding work in the field of conservation and creation of sustainable livelihoods in remote rural areas of Bageshwar and Pithoragarh over the past 14 years. Following a community based model, AVANI works in three areas primarily: bringing in solar energy to rural areas, producing electricity and charcoal from pine needles and handmade naturally dyed silk and woolen textiles.
Elaborating on the priorities of CII, its Northern Region chairman Jayant Davar said that CII has picked up a theme based on accelerating growth and generating more employment. Focus areas include entrepreneurship, making education employability oriented, skill development, promoting manufacturing, enhancing export competitiveness and expediting reforms, he added.
lovelena Mody, co-chair, CII Uttarakhand State Task force on Uttarakhand Disaster Relief and Rehabilitation Initiative shared the key initiatives of CII in the disaster affected areas of the state. CII Uttarakhand State Council chairman Sandeep Jain, vice chairman Manu Kochar and others also spoke on the occasion which included a plenary session on the sustainable way of rebuilding Uttarakhand.