Natural Resources Development Project-NARDEP
VK-NARDEP is an integral project of Vivekananda Kendra. It was started in 1986 inspired by Indic vision of the seers: Isavasyam itham Sarvam- All Existence is permeated by Divine and Swami Vivekananda's clarion call to uplift the downtrodden masses.
VK-NARDEP combines traditional wisdom and modern science and provides cost-effective alternative holistic solutions to the problems of modern living - especially for the rural communities.
VK-NARDEP works in the following fields and all these diverse fields are attached to its central axis of the concept of sustainable development.
* Cost Effective Construction
* Renewable Energy
* Holistic Health
* Sustainable agriculture
* Water management and
* Inner Sustainability.
The eco-services of VK-NARDEP spanning a period of nearly quarter of a century has earned it international reputation. Its contribution in the field of utilizing renewable energy for sustainable development through food production (use of biogas and biogas slurry in agriculture) has won VK-NARDEP the prestigeous Ashden award.
Ashden Award for renewable energy technology-2006 Vivekananda Kendra - Natural Resources Development Project (VK- NARDEP) was given the International Ashden award for renewable energy because it has sold and installed 2,000 biogas plants in southern Tamil Nadu, India, to provide clean biogas for household cooking and fertiliser from the biogas residue.VK-NARDEP has obtained a thorough understanding of the problems which exist amongst many current biogas installations in India through detailed field studies. It has developed a well researched low cost design as a result and is also able to specify the design of plants in accordance with a customer's needs.Bhoomijal Samvardhan Puraskar’ for Vivekananda Kendra-2007 The Ministry of Water Resources of the Government of India, New Delhi, has instituted “Bhoomijal Samvardhan Puraskar” for innovative practices of groundwater augmentation through rain water harvesting and artificial recharge to be awarded to three categories of agencies, viz., The Puraskar (award) was awarded to Vivekananda Kendra - NARDEP for the Southern Zone comprising Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Karnataka, and Goa, Puducherry and Lakshadweep Islands. Vivekananda Kendra NARDEP has done pioneering work in renovation of OORANIS and artificial recharging of tube wells in Mudukulathoor taluk of Ramanathapuram District and also a few temple tanks in Kanyakumari district. The GRAMODAYA PARK at Vivekanandapuram, Kanyakumari, designed by Vivekananda Kendra NARDEP, demonstrates the technology of rural and urban water harvesting and management through live models. President of India presented the award at Vigyan Bhawan, New Delhi, on 11 September 2007, which Vivekananda Kendra, celebrates as Universal Brotherhood Day in commemoration of Swami Vivekananda’s maiden speech at the World Parliament of Religions, in 1893.
Shri. G. Vasudeo, Secretary, Vivekananda Kendra – NARDEP received the award on behalf of Vivekananda Kendra, Kanyakumari.
