IndiaCSR News Network
By Sandip Dighe
10 day training for 44 candidates to start own business, like goat rearing
PUNE: Following the refusal of educated youth from disaster-hit Malin to take up low-salary jobs offered to them by multinational companies as part of their corporate social responsibility (CSR) initiatives, the District Industrial Centre (DIC) in October took the lead to train them to become economically independent and create gainful self-employment.
The 10-day training camp was conducted by DIC, along with Mitcon, to introduce new avenues of income, including agricultural-related business plans, for the landslide survivors. The officials claim that out of the 44 candidates who attended the camp, almost half want to take up goat and sheep rearing in a big way. DIC officials will also provide assistance to survivors in getting loans sanctioned to start their own business.
In the past few months, the Pune district administration had hosted two job fairs for the survivors; however, as many as 60 candidates, who were selected by the multinational firms, had refused accept the job offers due to low pay packages. Considering rising costs of living, candidates felt it would be difficult to run a family with the limited package. Fittingly, the administration decided to organise a training workshop for the survivors to enable them to establish and be successful in self-employment.
DIC general manager Nitin Kolekar said, “The main objective is to educate the survivors about small businesses that can provide them with a permanent source of income. On that basis, we have guided them about small business like goat and sheep rearing and agricultural-related business plans.”
Deepa Shinde, Mitcon’s Ambegaon taluka co-ordinator, said, “Initially, we got a lukewarm response from the survivors, but it gained momentum later. Now, they are now ready to take up various small businesses and start a new life.”
Since most of the survivors refused to take up jobs in the private sector — which were offering Rs 7,000-8,000 a month — tehsildar B G Gore of Ambegaon taluka, who was present at both fairs, said, “We decided to provide them with new options. Most of the survivors have got compensation from the government and they can easily start a new business.”
Welcoming the initiative, Malin sarpanch Digambar Bhalchim said, “This move will definitely make a difference. It is a judicious step being taken by the administration.”
The mudslide killed 151 people and razed Malin village to the ground on July 30.
source: http://www.punemirror.in/pune/civic/Survivors-of-Malin-disaster-get-trained-to-employ-self/articleshow/45620104.cms
