Through its flagship CSR initiative, NTPC Kantihas transformed the lives of more than 1,480 rural women across Bihar by turning skill into self-reliance and opportunity into empowerment.
NEW DELHI (India CSR): NTPC Kanti (Muzaffarpur Thermal Power Station), a unit of NTPC Limited, has been declared the Winner of the India CSR Award 2025 under the category “Skill as a Catalyst for Women’s Empowerment in Bihar” in the Livelihood Creation (Large Organisation) category. The award was presented at the 16th India CSR Summit held in New Delhi under the theme “CSR for Future-ready Economy: Aligning Business with SDGs.”
At the 16th India CSR Award 2025, Sukanta Mondal, Deputy Manager (HR), NTPC Kanti, received the award from the hands of Dr. Bhaskar Chatterjee, widely regarded as the ‘Father of Indian CSR and Sustainability’ and Chairman, National Sustainability Reporting and Disclosure Standards Committee, Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS), and Rusen Kumar, Founder of India CSR and one of India’s most respected voices in the field of CSR and Sustainability.
The national summit and award ceremony were attended by leading CSR professionals, corporate leaders, and social sector stalwarts.
India CSR Awards, established by India CSR — the country’s largest and #1 media platform on CSR, ESG, and Sustainability — is India’s top national recognition honouring outstanding excellence, innovation, and sustainable impact in Corporate Social Responsibility.
Transforming Rural Lives through Skill and Self-Reliance
This prestigious award recognizes NTPC Kanti’s flagship CSR initiative that has empowered over 1,480 rural women across Muzaffarpur, Bihar, through structured, multi-trade skill development programs.
The initiative embodies the vision of inclusive growth and gender equality (SDG 5) while promoting decent work and economic growth (SDG 8).
Under this transformative program, women were trained in diverse income-generating trades such as bakery, pickle and papad making, lac bangle design, beautician skills, beekeeping, mushroom cultivation, agarbatti making, sewing, and nutrition gardening. The holistic approach not only enhanced employability but also built financial independence, confidence, and leadership among rural women.
Skill as a Catalyst for Change
NTPC Kanti’s CSR initiative emerged from a deep understanding of Bihar’s socio-economic challenges, where female workforce participation remains among the lowest in India. By designing home-compatible, culturally acceptable, and low-investment livelihood options, the program succeeded in creating self-reliant micro-entrepreneurs without displacing family responsibilities.
Each woman received practical, market-oriented training, leading to measurable impact:
- 1,480 women trained across nine trades.
- 900 households developed nutri-gardens for food security and health improvement.
- Formation of peer learning groups for collective production and marketing.
- Enhanced social mobility and participation in family financial decisions.
Sustainable and Scalable Model
The sustainability of this model lies in its low-cost, high-reward framework, which allows women to work from home using locally available materials. Trades like beekeeping and nutri-gardens also contribute to environmental sustainability and nutritional improvement.
NTPC Kanti’s initiative has inspired other NTPC units to adopt similar women-centric livelihood programs, integrating local skills, cultural sensitivity, and sustainable income opportunities into CSR frameworks.
Skill as a Catalyst for Women’s Empowerment in Bihar
Under its flagship CSR initiative “Skill as a Catalyst for Women’s Empowerment in Bihar,” NTPC Kanti implemented a series of practical and locally relevant interventions that directly addressed the livelihood challenges of rural women in Muzaffarpur. The program offered multi-trade training across nine diverse skill areas—lac bangle making, beekeeping, mushroom cultivation, bakery, agarbatti making, pickle and papad production, sewing machine operation, beautician courses, and nutrition gardening.
Each trade was carefully selected based on local demand, ease of adoption, and minimal investment requirements, ensuring that women could earn income directly from their homes. Beyond training, NTPC Kanti provided starter kits, equipment, and follow-up support to help participants convert their skills into sustainable enterprises.
The inclusion of Nutri-Garden Kits in 900 households further promoted dietary diversity and health, linking livelihood with nutrition. This holistic and choice-based approach fostered financial independence, confidence, and entrepreneurship among women—turning them into active contributors to their community’s socio-economic growth.
Muzaffarpur Thermal Power Station (NTPC Kanti), a Maharatna PSU under NTPC Limited, operates from Kanti, Muzaffarpur, Bihar. Established in 1975, NTPC is India’s largest power generation company with an annual turnover of Rs. 23,953 crore and a workforce of over 17,000 employees. Its CSR philosophy aligns with national development goals, focusing on education, health, livelihood, and environment, ensuring inclusive and sustainable development in surrounding communities.
© India CSR
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