**Bhubaneswar:** Socially Smart Project which is a unique attempt on the part of BMC, BSCL and United Nation Population Fund (UNFPA) to strengthen social components of Smart City, has now been expanded to cover another 76 slums which are beyond the boundary of Bhubaneswar Town Centre District (BTCD) area.
The project which was initiated in the year 2017, and was restricted to 24 slums within the areas of BTCD, has entered its third year and now these 76 new slums have been brought out to be included into its purview of activities. The project focuses on young boys and girls of the slums and how to make them Socially Smart. So the Socially Smart Project of BSCL will now be available in 100 slums.
The activities in the slum would start with community mapping process to be held in 16 large slums of the 76 newly-inducted slums and line listing of youths in all the 76 slums. The line listing process will help to identify the actual number of youths in the age group of 10-25 years, their family background, qualification and current status.
It will also make an attempt to identify their training needs and aspirations, which would be in the coming days used for linking them with appropriate training opportunities. It is worth mentioning hear that in the last two years approx. It would be pertinent to mention here that 162 youths of 24 slums (within BTCD) have been linked with various skill training programs and of them 18 have already started their own enterprise or have got employment with employers.
Eighty young boys and girls of the new 76 slums would be provided 9-days of training as per the module of UNFPA which will be followed by youths taking leadership at slum level to form groups and discuss issues of importance with other young children of the slums.
Approximately 500 more girls are planned to be trained in self defence training program. In the last two year 332 girls from 24 slums have received 10 days of self-defence training program at Utkal Karate School successfully.