MGIIREPD to MGICCC to MGIUS

On Gandhiji's birthday in 1992, the Govt established the  Mahatma Gandhi Institute of Integrated Rural Energy Planning and Development (MGIIREPD) - with a view to “TAP RENEWABLE ENERGY TO THE FULLEST” and with a mission to Combat Climate Change and develop it as a “CENTRE OF EXCELLENCE” especially related with Strategic Knowledge Centre. 

The Institute - obviously set up by the Govt of the day - was renamed as Mahatma Gandhi Institute for Combating Climate Change (MGICCC) through an office order - perhaps intentionally - 30 Jan 2009. 

As given in the website, "The main objective of the Institute is to organize the Training Programmes for Government, Public Sector and Private Sector Officials in the areas of Pollution Control, Waste Management, Bio-diversity, Greening, Energy Efficiency, Renewable Energy, Climate Change and Clean Development Mechanism. Institute is tasked to conduct Education and Mass Awareness Programmes for School Children, RWAs and Rural Women and Extension activities in the field of Climate Change and the Applications of Renewable Energy Sources by the Govt. of Delhi and conduct R&D work in collaboration with Institutions, Colleges and Universities. In view of the above set broad objective and climate change agenda for Delhi (2009-2012), MGICCC has inter-alia been mandated to pursue the following tasks as a strategic knowledge centre.

• To oversee the use of biofuel by the government in some applications and to encourage restaurants to sell their waste fat and oil to an agency which can convert this into biofuel in collaboration with the Department of Environment, GNCTD and Delhi College of Engineering(DCE)/Delhi Technological University(DTU).
• To launch and conduct a massive campaign of awareness about the NAPCC (National Action Plan on Climate Change) and about Delhi Government targets for the NAPCC. To achieve this objective, a comprehensive process of education and awarness involving every citizen of Delhi like communities, NGOs, Schools and Colleges, is to be initiated.
• To prepare background paper and hold conference to increase awareness and response of the public. Discuss the impact of use of biofuels and other stringent fuel quality norms and their effects.
• To hold discussions and seminars on the problem to find a solution and create a knowledge base about the problem of mercury in CFL lamps.
• To start a pilot project for manufacture of small facility for biofuel and see how it can generates employment for small scale sector by involving industry and hotels and restaurants and other study institutions in collaboration with the Department of Environment, GNCTD and Delhi College of Engineering(DCE)/Delhi Technological University(DTU).

Whether or not anyone worked toward these noble goals, an RTI may reveal. But Mahatma Gandhi lives on though, in yet another name proposed in July 2012 along with a revamping of the  institute. 

Check it out here.