The Guntur Municipal Corporation (GMC) won the 4th Gender Equality Mobilisation (GEM) Award of the United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO) on 22 April 2026 in Vienna, Austria. The award was presented during the International Day of Women in Industry 2026 celebrations.
UNIDO Gender Equality Mobilisation Award
The UNIDO Gender Equality Mobilisation (GEM) Award recognises initiatives that advance gender equality in industry. The award has categories for programmatic, institutional, and external initiatives, and it is linked to UNIDO’s work on inclusive industrial development.
Guntur Municipal Corporation Initiative
GMC received the award for training 200 women as electric auto drivers for door-to-door garbage collection in Guntur, Andhra Pradesh. The initiative is connected with municipal waste collection and the use of electric vehicles in urban sanitation services.
UNIDO Support and Urban Sanitation
In September 2025, GMC Commissioner Puli Srinivasulu referred to UNIDO support through the Global Environment Facility (GEF) for making Guntur a pollution-free city. The support included funding for electric autos used in waste collection.
Related Institutional Facts
- Olga Rataj, Sustainable Cities Project Manager and Industrial Development Officer, accepted the award on behalf of GMC.
- Former Finnish President Tarja Halonen was present at the award ceremony in Vienna.
- UNIDO’s delegation visited Guntur in September 2025 and reviewed the city’s sanitation system and e-auto charging points at reservoirs.