The local community surrounding CBM Raniganj is predominantly agricultural and
wage employment is just a small fraction of the total employment. Other sources
of income include NREGS and labor work. There is growing demand for jobs and many
in the local community want to associate with Essar either through jobs or business
contracts.
Within the framework of the 3E model, entrepreneurship is one of the areas being taken up by Essar Foundation for sustainable development. To address the overarching demand of skilled labor force and adding trained manpower to the overall workforce available in the country, vocational training has been one of the ways and means to achieve this goal.
To be part of the efforts and initiatives across the nation, Essar Foundation in its CBM Ranignaj block has started vocational skill training program in technical partnership with the Ram Krishna Mission Ashram, Asansol in December 2012. The trades offered are electrical technician, AC refrigeration, mobile repairing and computer hardware. This is a one year course and it is approved by the National Council for Vocational Training (NCVT). Essar Foundation is supporting 90 per cent of the course fees and the rest is paid by the candidate.
So far 37 rural youth (age group 18 to 30 years) from 15 villages have taken
admission. The candidates were selected after interviews by Ram Krishna Mission
Ashram. The minimum eligibility criterion was standard 10th pass.
We are targeting to provide training to 60 rural youth through this vocational skill training program. After the completion of the course, Ram Krishna Mission Ashram will assist these candidates with placement opportunities in various industrial establishments in and around the Durgapur-Asansol industrial belt.
