To reinforce India’s efforts towards effective environment management the Environmental Information Awareness Capacity Building and Livelihood Programme (EIACP) has been envisaged. Awareness, skilling and research and development in green sector forms some of the major pre-requisites for rational management of environment. The programme draws its mandate from The Government of India (Allocation of Business) Rules, 1961 wherein “Environment Research and Development, Education, Training, Information and Awareness” has been allocated to Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEF&CC).

The EIACP (formerly known as ENVIS) uses a network of decentralized framework endowed with the agenda of integrating country-wide efforts towards environmental conservation and management. It encompasses the best functional aspects of the erstwhile ENVIS Scheme. It will serve as a one stop platform for dissemination of environmental information, informed policy formulation on various facets of environment and facilitation of alternate livelihoods through green skilling. It involves a recalibrated approach towards charting out a pathway for MoEF&CC to establish the quintessential social connect in order to enhance impact on the ground level.

Aims and Objectives

The aims and objectives of the EIACP are as under:

• To nurture green, sustainable and inclusive workforce in order to enhance both living and environment standards while fostering gainful and self-employment of youth.
• To conduct skilling courses not only in traditional areas but also in new emerging areas like electric vehicles, hazardous waste/ Bio-medical waste etc. considering their future scope, requirements and prospects.
• To be involved in the Mission LiFE (Lifestyle for Environment) being conceptualized by the Ministry.
• To facilitate technical and environmentally conscious industrial participation focused on sustainable development.
• To develop national and international collaboration for knowledge exchange and skilling and facilitating attainment of the SDGs.
• To aid sustainable livelihoods of tribal population especially in NER based on traditional knowledge and crafts.
• To facilitate informed decisions and policy making by catering to demand for research, innovation and data on emerging issues related to environment.
• To facilitate transition to environmentally conscious futuristic citizens including awareness among public/communities on environment related issues.