The corporate social responsibility (CSR) initiative of Thriveni Earthmovers Pvt. Ltd. (TEMPL) in Keonjhar, (Odisha) and West Singhbhum (Jharkhand), (around the main area of operations of the company) was conceptualized after careful research of the on-ground situation of the area. Based on the findings, the company emerged with a long-term plan, aimed at transforming the community through a strategy of arming the youth with employment and simultaneously changing mindsets in the region.. Says Major D.N. Das, Assistant Vice President, TEMPL; “The situation was complex and there were various nuances to be addressed; local youth were joblessowing to lack of necessary skills to operate current mining machinery which had taken over the area, leading to youth unrest and heightened antisocial activity like illegal mining and exhortation. Concurrently, the red corridorin the adjoining districts was fast approaching this area and these unemployed youth would have been easy prey. Our findings also revealed that there was a demand for skilled manpower in the private security sector to counter criminalization of society and terror attacks. This was the sector in which jobs were available. And the uneducated and unskilled youth of the area were the answer to this demand; they just needed to be skilled and made aware. We took it upon ourselves to meet this demand by skilling the youth. Thus, was born the concept of TISA-The Thriveni Industrial Security Academy.”

Implemented by the internal CSR team of TEMPL, the academy started functioning in 2010 and has to date trained 1600 young men. Each batch consists of upto 70 uneducated students from below poverty line families of the surrounding area. The rigorous 45-day course is conducted by a dedicated set of trainers, all retired defence personnel. Says Major Das; “The recruitment procedure is impartial and stringent. The company has a well-established CSR team, which reaches into the community of the area and conducts the need based assessment of the family.  We are very close to the community through their grampanchyat, block and school teachers. Selected candidates must possess minimum physical standards and have to undergo medical tests. Our syllabus is exhaustive and includes physical training,roles &responsibilities of security personnel, disaster management situations, first aid, firefighting drills and much more.” 

The entire expense for training is borne by TEMPL as part of its Rs. 5 crores CSR initiative, in which the cost of building its impressive academy is included. In fact, the selected students are paid a stipend ofRs 1,500/ per month during their training period and provided with boarding and lodging at the academy. What has truly enhanced the initiative is the very sustainable employee volunteering program which the company has woven in, where employees are actively involved in providing basic communication skills and personality development skills to the trainees. 

^{Training impoverished rural youth in security and disaster management}

However, the proof of the pudding is clearly in its eating and the question arises on what the actual impact of TISA has been on the local community. Says Major Das; ”The impact of the program till date has been directly felt by the 1600 young men who have gained meaningful employment and today are earning almost Rs.20,000/ per month as against a hitherto negligible family income. After the completion of the project we have a system of absorbing all trainees into our sister organization Maa Tarini Logistic limited (MTLL).  However, the training which they have received, sufficiently skills them for other private and government services as well.  TISA trainees have joined other services such as the CRPF, duties in mines, plants and factories, personal protection, escorting of cash, private security services, etc.”

True testimony to the success of the program lies in the visibly, hugely improved living standard of the families in the area as compared to 2010, along with a perceptible change in mindsets; kuccha houses have turned to pukka houses; many youngsters have been able to buy a vehicle and youth who have passed out from TISA are motivating their family members to enrol in schools.  Significantly, a number of surrendered Naxals have enrolled in the academy and have now joined the mainstream, indicating a truly qualitative change in perspectives of the community. Little wonder then that TEMPL received the FICCI, Cassandra Award and Think CSR Award in the social service category for the considerable impact of its efforts towards the betterment of the lives of the local communities.

Sustainability and scalability of the model are unquestionable. Says Major Das;“TISA started as a pilot project to assess its feasibility. Within a year we realized that this was not just a feasible idea but a replicable one.  There is a huge demand for security guards in the country and we are frequently getting requests from other organizations for them. But we are not able to meet even our own demands. We aim to train 10,000 young men in the next  5 years,  for meeting the requirements of the upcoming industries in addition to our own. We are also looking at inducting women into the programme as well and are considering modifying the module for this.”Currently 50 girls are taking sports, archery and athletics training in TISA. The company intends to induct women security guards and light motor vehicle trainees within six months. Till date, it has trained 3 women light motor vehicle drivers, who have been associated with it for the last couple of years.

“The demand is huge and we have great scope for meeting the problem of unemployment by scaling up our model,” says Major Das. “Given the current scenario, a variant of our model can be effectively adapted and implemented for the benefit of educated unemployed youth as well, both in the rural and urban areas. The sky is the limit and we intend to reach for it.”

This initiative has recently won NGOBOX-Dalmia Bharat 5th CSR Impact Award in Skill Development category.

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