Cross-learning mission: JSPL visited by RSP officials

Odisha Channel Bureau Angul, Feb 3: In a cross-learning initiative on sustainable CSR Projects, a delegation of senior officials from Rourkela Steel Plant (RSP), visited the CSR interventions by Jindal Steel & Power Ltd (JSPL) at Angul today.The team comprising Manjari Prasad, President, RSP’s Deepika Mahila Jagriti Sansthan (DMS); Sharmistha Das, Vice-President (DMS); Jyotshna Acharya, Vice-President (DMS); P K Pradhan, GM I/C (P&A) and other officials were received by Sujata Saraogi, President of Jindal Mahila Samiti; S.K.Mahapatra, VP & Head of HR (JSPL), AVP, CSR&R S.K.Shrama, and DGM – CSR Puspalata Satapathy and other senior officials of JSPL.The team visited various women economic empowerment projects promoted by the JSPL Foundation, the CSR Arm of JSPL for rural women in its periphery villages.They took special interest in low cost sanitary making unit and herbal soap and body care unit eco-spa.They discussed with the officials as well as SHG members to explore the possibility of establishing these units at Rourkela, under the CSR initiative of RSP.Saraogi, Executive Director and Location of JSPL, said, “At JSPL, the CSR initiatives are aimed at improving the quality of life of people for whom we work.It is a privilege to have the RSP team visit our CSR activities.This not only speaks about the quality of our work but also creates opportunities for mutual learning between JSPL and RSP to further enhance community development through CSR activities.Such Cross Learning exercises will be benefiting the Industries and the Community to draw synergy from each other”.Appreciating the CSR activities, Manjari Prasad, President of Deepika Mahila Jagriti Sansthan, said, “RSP has been implementing various socio-economic developmental activities in Rourkela and its peripheral areas.We were inspired by products made by these Self Help Entrepreneurs (SHEs) and came here to see the activities.We will use some of the learning we gathered here to improve our programme”.JSPL Foundation’s flagship Programme of Kishori Express has encompassed more than 25000 adolescent girls for hemoglobin tests, need based supplements and software based awareness build up through customised vans operating in 321 villages in two Revenue blocks in Angul District with the objective of controlling anemia in adolescent girls and preventing IMR and MMR in partnership with National Health Mission and ICDS.Under the sustainable income generating projects, JSPL has promoted women SHGs to manufacture low cost sanitary napkin under the name of ‘Sshodashi’.It is being provided to young girls through Kishori Express and other channels to improve their access to better menstrual hygiene. Through the Eco-Spa unit, rural Women SHGs produce high quality body care products from locally grown fruits, vegetables and herbs.Backyard herbal gardens are developed where women grow the aloe-vera, hibiscus, rose and basil to supply the raw materials.Besides, above two initiatives the delegation also visited other SHG activities such as the diversified jute product making unit Odi-Fab, incense stick making unit Sugandhi with the marketing tie up with the ITC Ltd , Stitching unit Srijan, Food Processing unit Chaiti, Community Diary, Mushroom Cultivation Unit as well as recycle paper making unit.The JSPL Foundation’s model of Women Empowerment has received wide appreciation from the Development Agencies as it consciously provides enabling assistance to the Women SHGs with capacity building, tools and machineries and marketing linkages has a sound exit policy in place.The NABARD Consultancy’s socioeconomic study report indicated that such sustainable women focused social initiatives of JSPL have resulted in holistic improvement in the quality of life of the Women living in the R&R Colony and in the Periphery Villages of JSPL.Several laurels and awards including the Golden Peacock Award, Best Women Empowerment Award and the Inclusive Business Award have been received by JSPL, Angul for its high impact CSR Projects.Every year the CSR Initiatives of JSPL are visited by representatives of other industries from India and abroad, university students and faculties , policy makers and senior officials, peoples’ representatives, Association of Industry and Commerce bodies and prominent media persons.