Bhubaneswar: The Chairperson of JSW Foundation Sangita Jindal in her special address on day II of the Odisha skill Conclave spoke on bridging the gender gap through skills. She informed that 30,000 young women and girls are benefitting from India’s largest and first-of-its-kind Skill Impact Bond that JSW runs in collaboration with National and International partner organizations.
More than 4000 women from the rural areas are gaining economic independence and contributing to nation-building by being a part of JSW Shakti BPO – a sustainable social enterprise initiative in Karnataka, she informed. JSW is firm on building a workforce of women to enter traditionally male-dominated areas such as hard-core mining, port handling and construction roles, she underlined.
The session on the theme Narrowing the Gender Gap- Empowering through skills was moderated by Sujata Karthikeyan, Commissioner-cum- Secretary, Mission Shakti, Government of Odisha.
She also took this opportunity to laud the women HEMM operators for excelling and breaking gender stereotypes. Post her address Jindal felicitated the 11 women dumper operators for their skill in operating Heavy Earth Moving Machinery (HEMM) on the dais. Some of these operators are trained from government ITI Barbil.
She congratulated Chief Minister Naveen Pattnaik on this landmark initiative to transform Odisha into a skill hub. JSW especially is taking strong initiatives to recruit women in different operations. It is the first in the state to provide a platform for women to operate dumpers in its captive mines.
Intensive training is provided to hone their skills as HEMM operators. Post successful completion of their training, women are deployed as Operations Assistants to operate HEMM at Quarry SE, which includes dumper, dozer, shovel, drill, etc.
She met Chief Minister Naveen Pattnaik, earlier in the day to discuss skill development potential in the state. She also discussed with Subroto Bagchi, Chairperson of Odisha Skill Development Authority, on the possibilities of future collaboration.
On the inaugural day of Odisha Skill Conclave, the CM interacted with the women Heavy Earth Moving Machinery operators from JSW mines in the Joda-Koira sector. Over 1,000 delegates from industries, academia, and the government sector participated in the Odisha Skill Conclave – 2023.
Women in the state have more opportunities for employment across diverse verticals after large industries have come forward to invest here in Odisha. JSW especially is taking strong initiatives to recruit women in different operations. It is the first in the state to provide a platform for women to operate dumpers in its captive mines.
Intensive training is provided to hone their skills as HEMM operators. Post successful completion of their training, women are deployed as Operations Assistants to operate HEMM at Quarry SE, which includes dumper, dozer, shovel, drill, etc.