Khopoli: Tata Steel BSL launched a program for helping women from villages near its plant at Sarvoli, Khopoli under Raigad district to be self-reliant through a program called WEE- Women Empowerment and Entrepreneurship.
Chanakya Chaudhary, vice president, corporate services, Tata Steel, Thursday formally launched the program in the presence of Manikanta Naik, chief, corporate services, Kapil Modi, executive plant head, Khopoli and Hosur, Prachi Lad, sarpanch, Savroli, Preetilata from Watershed Organisation Trust (WOTR), Ahmednagar, the implementing partner of the program and local villagers.
More than 3400 people including 1580 women from 5 villages of Khalapur Tehshil including Savroli, NiphanDevnhave, Dahiwali and Sangdewadi will benefit from the program.
Thanking the PRI members and the villagers for their support for the program, Chanakya Chaudhary said, WEE program at Tata Steel BSL is a significant step towards women empowerment in the 5 villages which constitute 46 percent women. We will also continue our interventions in other domains for inclusive growth in regions in and around our areas of operations.
Main objective ofthe programis to develop socio-economic status of women of these villages through forming formal and functional Self Help Groups (SHGs), enhance their income by setting up micro enterprises and also attain improved community health through clean drinking water and better maternal health. Besides strategic collaboration and convergence with the Gram Panchayat and with government service providers – Health, ICDS and Livelihood departments- will be also focused in the programme.
