Uttarakhand Governor K K Paul today said it is "absolutely necessary" to link cottage industries based on local products with low-cost modern technology to empower women economically and to generate self-employment opportunities for youth in the state's rural areas.
Making the observation on a visit to the Himalayan Environmental Studies & Conservation Organisation in Shuklapur village near here, Paul praised HESCO for its efforts in developing technologies which are useful for rural people describing them as "pioneering work".
He also had a special word of praise for the low cost geyser, solar cooker, improvised stove developed by HESCO, an organisation founded by noted environmentalist Anil Joshi.