KOLKATA: Self Help Groups (SHGs) formed by Tata Steel through its Corporate Social Responsibility arm Tata Steel Rural Development Society (TSRDS) has helped in providing sustainable livelihood opportunities to more than 3,000 rural households. More than 90 per cent of these SHGs are run exclusively by women, thereby providing a significant fillip to women’s empowerment in the state.
The locations where Tata Steel is actively facilitating formation of SHGs include Kalinganagar, Bamnipal, Sukinda, Joda, Belpahar and Gopalpur among others. The Tejaswinis, or women SHG members of Kalingnagar area, have been able to find a large number of buyers for products made by them.
In Sukinda, TSRDS has promoted 20 SHGs and in Bichakundi (Joda), two SHGs set up by it have established a nursery. They are raising more than 0.1 million saplings every year, earning a profit of Rs 4-5 lakh annually.
(Business Standard)
