Scholarships upgrading skills for better livelihoods
Responsive to the needs of residents wherever SJVN ventures to execute its projects, the company besides participating in the social milieu has taken upon itself to contribute towards the human resource development in the project impact area.
Other than the many spin-offs from the Rampur hydroelectric project has had in Satluj valley, it’s the young students from who are beneficiaries of a new initiative – the scholarship program, which provides financial support for undergoing vocational training so as to improve employability.
The technical education scholarship initiative supports those who have passed out from schools or are in colleges and are looking out for employment avenues through skill building training at industrial training institutes where seats are reserved for sponsored candidates.
Started in September 2006, 140 students (35 each in 2006-07, 07-08, 08-09 & 2009-10) belonging project affected families of Bayal, Gadej and Bawa villages as well as those belonging to the project affected area have benefitted from these scholarships.
Take the case of Sagar Chand, a 31 year old young man who is one from among the project affected families.
“The scholarships provided by SJVN under its technical education program, was very timely as it helped to train in mechanical trade at Industrial Training Institute (ITI) at Shimla from 2006-08,” says Sagar Chand.
Beyond July 2008 after having completed his training, Sagar took a four month break and by December had secured employment as a motor mechanic with a contracting firm, working within the project area at Jhakri.
During the training period, a stipend of Rs 800/- per month by SJVN for the two year training period enabled the young aspirant to complete the course without having to bother much about financial constraints. The amount was delivered to him by cheque or to a person who was authorized to collect it on his behalf.
“I had offers to work at Nahan, Baddi and elsewhere, but getting a job near my village enables me to help the family in farm operations and other odd jobs during my spare time,” says Sagar.
Sagar Chand
Not just him, there are many others who after having taken vocational training that was supported by SJVN’s scholarship initiative and now are employed within the project area.
Tara Chand, a resident of Bayal village is another such young man from among the project affected families of the 412 MW Rampur project, who undertook a two year training in civil trade at ITI Shimla. Like Sagar Chand, his training was also partially financed by SJVN.
On the basis of his skilled qualification Tara Chand did secure a job with Patel Engineering, a major construction contracting company that has been awarded a large job order by SJVN at the Rampur project, itself.
Hard work and honesty has helped the young man to make steady career progress and he has already been entrusted with the responsibility of a civil supervisor. Divesh Kumar, also a resident from Bayal and a beneficiary of SJVN’s program, trained in the electrical trade has successfully found a suitable placement near his native place. He is currently employed by Bharat Heavy Electrical Ltd (BHEL) at their workshop near the Rampur project site.
Still another resident of Bayal where the power house of Rampur project is coming up is Janak Bhandari who with the support of SJVN scholarship is pursuing a junior engineering course at an institute in Kangra.
The scholarship program has helped to build a lasting relationship in the project impact community and has come to be embedded in the SJVNs policy and is now bound to be replicated at all the project sites that it undertakes to execute.
