Progress awaited through conduit of NHPC's socio-economic development projects

UJJAINI SHARMA

The tiol Hydro Power Corporation (NHPC) under its Corporate Social Responsibility Programme (CSR), is carrying out development activities under its social accountability standing to work for  the overall progress of the people  in the downstream areas of Gerukamukh,

Lakhimpur, Majuli and Dhemaji. Thus NHPC has geared up to carry out its dream of developing the areas by generating new projects and schemes. These development activities have been classified under various heads by the authorities of NHPC.

Here is a brief look to the heartening line of progress works being set in motion by NHPC-

NHPC proposes to deploy 20 Mobile Medical Units (MMU) in the four districts of Dhemaji, Lakhimpur, Sonitpur and Jorhat.  Under this proposal, NHPC will be signing a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Piramal Swasthya Magement Research Institute (PSMRI), which will be working as the implementing agency for deployment of MMUs in rural areas.

In its development efforts, NHPC will supply safe drinking water facilities at about 1,000 locations in Dhemaji, Lakhimpur, Sonitpur and Jorhat districts and also proposes to provide Reverse Osmosis (RO) Drinking Water  Facilities and Sanitation Complex  at 10 locations of Lakhimpur and Dhemaji districts. Meanwhile, about 1250 locations have been identified and surveyed for setting up the proposed project with MoU being signed with local bodies as implementing agencies with work to be shortly commenced at three locations of Dhemaji and Lakhimpur.

Under the Subansiri project, NHPC has launched a cleanliness and hygiene programme med Gram Swachhta Abhiyan (GSA) through which awareness will be created among 100 villages for enrolling the local people to participate in the GSA programme for maintaining the cleanliness and hygiene of their area with the help of Self-Help Groups (SHGs).  At present, the process of village identification for the project in on, after classification the chosen villages will be provided with the required cleaning materials like brooms, dustbins, and cleaning brushes.

The Skill Development Programs organized by NHPC has been receiving overwhelming responses with majority of the trained youths getting employment in reputed companies of the country. In the programmes organized by NHPC, more than 200 youths have received skill development training in the field of construction, and further proposals will be taken up to carry out more such skill development programmes for about 100 local youths at an estimated cost of Rs 30 lakh in this existing year.

With regard to charting out the aspirations of the local masses for creating self driven enterprises in the lines of Amul Pattern, NHPC has initiated steps towards need-based Sustaible Livelihood Development with a total fincial outlay of Rs 320 crores by engaging the Institute of Rural Magement And (Gujrat) for executing the development project.

Moreover, for the downstream areas of the project, NHPC has allocated Rs 145 crore for development River Bank Protection Works with work being already started in 5 km stretch and package for another stretch of 15 km is in the process of filization. In its dream of contributing towards the socio-economic uplift of the downstream local population, NHPC has formulated a ‘NHPCFellowship Scheme for Assam’ to give an opportunity to the students of the State by supporting and promoting their educatiol needs under this scholarship scheme.  Under this scheme, out of the proposed scholarship, 50 per cent will be reserved for students of North Lakhimpur and Dhemaji districts. At present NHPC for three successive years, with a total fincial implication of Rs 6.50 crore, will be sponsoring three groups of students totaling to 510 students, for which applications are being invited from the students for the academic year of 2015-16.

As such,  for pursuing courses under this academic year  in institutes like Industrial Training Institute (ITI), Diploma and Degree in Engineering , MBBS and M Sc, 170 scholarships have been proposed by NHPC.

 Various novel proposals have been taken up by NHPC under its Downstream Area Development Works. This includes the setting up of a Multi-Specialty Hospital, for the commissioning of which the authorities of NHPC are having consultations with the Hospital Services Consultancy Corporation(India) Limited,  a Government of India undertaking that involves in conceptualization to commissioning of various hospital projects. The NHPC has also approached the Deputy Commissioner of Dhemaji for allotment of land for setting up the Multi Specialty Hospital. Similarly, last year a Skill Development Centre was constructed at Geramukh, at a cost of Rs 40 lakh for providing vocatiol skill development training and facilities to local residents for promoting their music, arts and cultural skills. A skill development centre is also proposed to be set up at Subansiri Project area site, as envisaged under the basis of Skill India Mission, by the magement of NHPC

Visioning the beautification and development of Subansiri River Front, as part of the Bio Diversity Development, NHPC will take up construction works for creating Recreatiol Spots, Visitor Friendly Areas, Eco-Tourism, Park, Water Bodies with Aquatic Plantations, Shelters for Migratory Birds, Development of Nearby Shoals/Islands with Connecting Bridges, Art and Cultural Centre, Fisheries, ghat steps, Water Sports, Restaurants and Information Kiosks.

Under NHPC’s ongoing current key CSR activities, more than 3,100 toilets were constructed in schools of Assam and Aruchal Pradesh under the Swachch Vidyalaya Abhiyan (SVA), and Vivekanda Kendra Vidyalaya (VKV) was constructed at Kolaptura, with an estimated cost of Rs 11.5 crore. Similarly, NHPC at regular periods also organizes health camps in nearby areas with specialized camps being set up for eye check up and detection of TB and cancer that have been receiving immense responses from the local residents.

It may summed that  NHPC  has executed  some of  the aforesaid development works for the progress of the people living in the downstream areas of Gerumukh, Dhemaji,Lakhimpur and Majuli as part of its social responsibilities vision, under which some new project activities are soon to be taken up for the shared progress of the people.