Bhubaneswar: In a step towards empowering women and fostering sustainable development, Jindal Foundation, the CSR arm of Jindal Steel and Power (JSP), has signed an MoU with the Bhubaneswar City Knowledge Innovation Cluster Foundation (BCKIC) to set up an LED bulb production unit in Deojhar panchayat of Barbil in Keonjhar district of Odisha.
Part of the Jindal Foundation’s Women and Livelihood programme, this pilot initiative will train women from nearby villages in LED bulb production, equipping them with essential manufacturing skills. The project, which is expected to expand, will provide economic upliftment and empower more women.
The MoU was signed by Dr Mrutyunjay Suar, Chairman of BCKIC, and Vargil Lakra, GM-CSR of Jindal Foundation at the Barbil Pellet Plant of JSP. Purushotham MD, Unit Head; Ashish Ranjan Mohanty, Head HR & ES and other senior officials and the participating women were present.
Prashant Kumar Hota, President and Group Head of CSR and Education, said, “This initiative has the components of facility creation, capacity building and tie-ups for forward linkages as well as marketing. This will not only result in regular income generation of women but also empower them with skills of negotiation and decision making for fostering equitable growth in the tribal predominant region of Joda, Barbil and Deojhar. With demand for energy-efficient bulbs rising, the initiative aims to create an eco-friendly and sustainable social business model driving lasting community impact.”
Through its initiatives under the Women and Livelihood programmes such as Jindal Asha, Kishori Express, Yashasvi and Jan Jeevika Kendra, the Foundation has transformed and empowered the lives of over 5 million women and girls across the country.