Thiruvananthapuram: In a major achievement, Thiruvananthapuram has been awarded the UN-Shanghai Global Award for sustainable development, making it the first city from India to receive this honour. 

Local Self-Government Minister MB Rajesh congratulated the Thiruvananthapuram Corporation, calling the award a "Diwali gift for Kerala."

The award, part of a global initiative led by UN Habitat and the Shanghai Municipality, recognizes cities for their progress, governance, and sustainable development activities. Thiruvananthapuram Mayor Arya Rajendran and Smart City CEO Rahul Sharma accepted the award at a ceremony in Alexandria, Egypt on Thursday.

Cities such as Brisbane (Australia) and Salvador (Brazil) have previously won this prestigious award. Minister Rajesh praised the municipality's initiatives, stating that the recognition reflects the pride of all Kerala and highlights the model activities that can be emulated by cities across the country.

The Thiruvananthapuram Municipal Corporation has implemented numerous sustainability initiatives, including the installation of 17,000 KW of solar panels, 2,000 solar street lights, LED lighting for all street lights, 115 electric buses, 35 electric bikes and 100 electric autos for unemployed individuals. The Chief Minister is expected to announce plans to convert more than 500 government offices to solar power by 2025. The Corporation is also planning to launch Trivandrum Climate Budget on June 5, 2025. 

Thiruvananthapuram has also received various accolades in recent months, including the PM SVANidhi 'PRAISE' Award and two national awards from the Central Government's Housing and Development Corporation (HUDCO) for Urban Governance and Sanitation. Additionally, the municipality received a special incentive of Rs 10 crore from the central government for excellence in the implementation of the AMRUT Scheme. The state also received the Swaraj Trophy for the best Municipal Corporation, the Ardra Keralam Award, and the Vayosevana Award, among others.