New Delhi, Jan 13 (IANS): To recognise outstanding work for rural women empowerment, Vedanta Group mining company Hindustan Zinc recently awarded entrepreneurs and organisations under its social campaign "Sakhi".

According to the company, 22 awardees in three categories were recognised for their work for rural women empowerment in a function held in Jaipur.

The award function was attended by Rajasthan Chief Minister Vasundhara Raje and Vedanta Group Chairman Anil Agarwal, amongst 125 rural and tribal 'Sakhi' women who had travelled from across Rajasthan.

The awardees included eight rural women entrepreneurs, seven self-help groups and seven NGOs.

After the felicitation, Chief Minister Raje urged the private sector to assist in developing online sales platform for products manufactured by rural and tribal women.

She also asked women awardees to take up cleanliness cause as important part of their day-to-day activity and should motivate other people to follow the same.

Vedanta Group Chairman Anil Agarwal spoke about rural women empowerment and the company's commitment for bringing more women in the "Sakhi" network to improve their social and economic condition.

He said: "Chief Minister (Raje) is the biggest 'Sakhi' and her inspiration and advice would keep this momentum alive."

Hindustan Zinc's Chief Executive Akhilesh Joshi assured the gathering that further training will be provided to rural and tribal women, to market their products in the wider markets.

Earlier, the company had launched the women empowerment campaign 'SAKHI' with a focus to provide training to rural and tribal women and to organize them into self-help groups broadly known as Hindustan Zinc 'SAKHI' self-help groups.