MEPMA bags 9 SKOCH Platinum Awards for initiatives to end poverty

VIJAYAWADA: The Mission for Elimination of Poverty in Municipal Areas (MEPMA), under the Government of Andhra Pradesh, has achieved national recognition by winning nine SKOCH Platinum Awards for its exemplary work in urban poverty alleviation.
The SKOCH Awards, among India's most prestigious independent honours, acknowledged MEPMA's innovative, inclusive, and impactful initiatives that have significantly improved the lives of vulnerable urban communities.
Of the 14 projects submitted by MEPMA, nine were selected for Platinum honours following a rigorous evaluation process comprising peer review, board assessment, public voting, and expert panel scrutiny.
The recognition is seen as a milestone in Andhra Pradesh's commitment to inclusive urban development, especially in empowering self-help groups (SHGs), urban homeless, street vendors, and marginalised occupational communities.
The awarded projects span a wide range of focus areas including housing for the urban homeless, financial inclusion of SHG members, digital livelihood tracking, e-commerce for women entrepreneurs, skill development, gig economy participation, and structured support for street vendors and vulnerable groups.
MEPMA's strategic and community-driven approach has emerged as a model for other states to follow.
Mission Director N Tej Bharath credited the leadership of Chief Minister Nara Chandrababu Naidu and Municipal Adminstration and Urban Development (MA&UD) Minister P Narayana for their support, and thanked Principal Secretary S Suresh Kumar and CM's Secretary Pradyumna for their guidance.
The SKOCH Awards will be officially presented during the SKOCH Summit in New Delhi on September 20, 2025.

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