ACC Limited, one of the leading players in the Indian building materials space, through DISHA, is identifying and training young people with employment, under the CSR & social development wing ACC Ayushman Trust.
In FY 2020 – 21, ACC trust has allotted close to Rs. 4 crores to its DISHA initiative out of the total of Rs. 32 crores allotted to CSR budget, which is highest compared to any other initiative.
DISHA aims to provide alternate livelihoods around plant locations to unemployed youth either through training & placement or through self-employment initiatives.
Out of the 17 sustainable development goals established by ACC trust, DISHA is ACC’s flagship initiative to create sustainable livelihoods by eliminating unemployment among people in host communities.
DISHA’s efforts in sustainable livelihood have so far touched 14,304 lives wherein it has benefited 1,737 young individuals through employability-linked skill training, empowered 7,695 women through Self Help Groups (SHGs), mobilised savings and bank loans worth 4.52 crores through SHGs and have also made two Farmer Producer Organisation (FPOs) operational.
Moreover, ACC trust provided necessary training and education in 186 schools, supported 13, 576 children in Anganwadis and equipped 65 government schools with e-learning in 2020, under their Vidya Utkarsh initiative.
We have worked diligently through ACC TRUST towards the social and economic welfare of our host communities. DISHA has been successful in impacting a large group of community youths through various skill development initiatives. The younger generation look up to DISHA and hopes to realise their employability potential,” said Sridhar Balakrishnan, CEO & MD, ACC Cements.
DISHA is driving the development of communities around the company’s business presence and has so far covered 14 districts where it has implemented the project to eliminate unemployment. All the 14 DISHA centres follow an innovative way of solving the problem of unemployment through Participatory Rural Appraisal study of communities and household data based micro-planning, counselling facilities, soft skills and digital skills. In addition to this, core technical skills required for employability are also imparted.
These centres also facilitate microfinance for micro-enterprises, especially for those who cannot relocate themselves for work.
DISHA centres are registered under Government of Chhattisgarh and Pradhan Mantri Kaushal Vikas Yogana, Government of India. ACC DISHA project also works in close collaboration with National Skill Development Corporation, NGOs, Corporates and ten other Sector Skill Councils.
