The Chairman Shri Sameer Kochar and Managing Director Shri Deepak Dalal, SKOCH Group conferred the award with great pleasure to Principal Secretary, Namami Gange and Rural Water Supply, GoUP. The SKOCH Award stands as the highest independent honor bestowed upon most states and organizations, often at the most senior echelons. Very Senior Representatives of Award-Winning organization from various state of the country were present to receive their awards. The awards were given in three groups Silver, Gold and Platinum. SMCG-Uttar Pradesh was ranked top in the Gold Category. SMCG Uttar Pradesh has gone through exhaustive documentation to support their achievements. This Documentation served creating a knowledge repository on what changed and how in the organisation adding to institutional memory. Nominations went through extensive scrutiny and checks for completion and veracity. The process took into account views of people who benefited from such projects, peers who are working on similar projects, and several domain experts from across the country.

The jury was drawn from domain experts who have spent decades in their areas of specialisation, and they invested time in a face-to-face evaluation of each short-listed nomination. This took a humongous effort that spreads over multiple sessions and days. The jury evaluation was also telecast live. SKOCH award salutes people, projects and institutions that go the extra mile to make India a better nation. SKOCH Award winners include the mighty and the ordinary alike. They receive this Award for their extraordinary achievements in contributing to the society. SKOCH Awardees value SKOCH Award as the highest civilian honour in the country conferred by an independent organisation.

SKOCH Award not only acknowledges exceptional achievers—organisations and individuals—but also spurs inspirational guidance and motivational leadership. The most useful outcome of the SKOCH Assessment process is that it gives a benchmark that compares performance across sectors.

State Mission for Clean Ganga-Uttar Pradesh is very upbeat and confident of successfully achieving its objectives in coming years and bring about the paradigm shift that is expected by all. SMCG UP works for Pollution abatement in River Ganga and its tributaries to restore/improve its environmental / ecological health for segment of the Ganga River passing through Uttar Pradesh (~1025 Kms of total length of ~2525 Kms). The Health of Ganga in Uttar Pradesh determines the overall health of the river in its entire segment downstream. Namami Gange program is working for River Pollution Abatement, ensuring Unrestricted Flow through involvement of and all stakeholders on whole of the Government approach. The Capacity Building of Stakeholders and Improving livelihood of People living along rivers Is intensely focused.