Following the footsteps of Indore, the cleanest city for six consecutive years, Lucknow has plans to elevate its Swachh Survekshan rankings. For the same, Lucknow Municipal Corporation (LMC) will be joining hands with Indian Institute of Management (IIM) Indore. An MoU will be signed between the two parties, solidifying a three-year long pact. Moreover, the pact will help uplift Lucknow's Chikankari industry.

The overall aim is to develop Lucknow as a model city, improve the local economy and implement apt sanitation practices and measures. Indore processes some 1,900 tons of municipal trash daily which, in turn, generates millions in revenue.

IIM Indore will assist LMC in building novel strategies to, eventually, achieve the Swachh Bharat Mission targets. This will also help improving the overall sanitation status.

It will be divided into two parts, where one aspect would be focus on forming a ward-wise plan for Information, Education, and Communication (IEC) strategies for residents. This will help individuals practise sanitation measures and convey the message of a clean neighbourhood, a crucial step in keeping the city clean. While the second part would be directed towards corporation officials. Capacity building and handholding of the officials would be executed to help them adopt the best sanitation practises.

One pact between LMC and IIM Indore also has other expectations. Aiding the cultural heritage and uplifting Awadh's Chikan Handicraft Industry, its local artisans and workers is the aim of this pact. Additionally, efforts will be put in to increase Chikankari's global exposure.

The collaboration will be concentrated towards bringing about various activities like training and upskilling craftsmen and workers. New-age tools will also be promoted to market indigenous ODOP products.

"Upskilling of the artisans, connecting them with leading designing institutes, and expanding the reach of the products is the focus area. Besides, we will also be focusing on training women on financial literacy and helping them become financially independent. This will help them get out of the clutches of the local money lenders and avail institutional credit," IIM-Indore director Himanshu Rai explained the course of action.

During these three years, IIM Indore experts will guide and train artisans, while introducing new techniques. The objective will be modernising the traditional craft and making the artisans, especially women, self-reliant.