SAIL launches Model Steel Village in Orissa

New Delhi, Mar 20 (UNI) In a bid to enhance its Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) activities, the public sector company Steel Authority of India Ltd (SAIL) has developed a Model Steel Village at Kalta Basti in Orissa.

Focusing on the remote villages surrounding its mines and plants, SAIL said in a statement issued here today that it has drawn out plans to develop 16 villages into Model Steel Village, out of which nine villages will be in the mines area.

Its RMD, which operates the mines in the eastern sector, has already identified the villages neighbouring its mines located in Orissa, Jharkhand and Madhya Pradesh. Likely expenditure for developing total nine villages under RMD will be Rs 5.56 crore in the current year.

Mr G Ojha, Director, Personnel and In-charge of SAIL's Raw Materials Division (RMD), inaugurated the Steel Village in function held at Kalta Basti last evening.

He said in the current financial year SAIL is spending Rs 100 crore on CSR and the amount would increase in future.

Mr Ojha said for Kalta peripheral development, SAIL has already spent Rs 1.30 crore and by this fiscal-end, it would put in another Rs 25 lakh for this.

The total budget for CSR under RMD in this fiscal is Rs six crore for infrastructure development, drinking water, health care, education and sports.

Mr Ohja said although infrastructure development comes under government's purview, however, SAIL takes up the task understanding the need of the common people in the remote areas.

Kalta Basti, which is located near the Kalta iron mine of RMD, has been provided with infrastructure identifying its economical developmental needs. RMD has developed roads and drinking water facility in the remote village, for electricity it has installed solar lights.

Besides that, RMD revamped the educational and sports facilities by developing school and constructing a stadium. Under self-employment generation scheme, RMD is setting up centre for fishery, stitching&leaf plate making, in addition to that, RMD planted more than 1000 fruit bearing trees in the village. The company ahs also constructed a Community hall cum vocational centre.

Earlier in the day, in another programme, SAIL has launched its Archery Academy at Kiriburu in Jharkhand inaugurated by Mr Ojha which is first of its kind in the set of SAIL's other sports academy attached to SAIL's different units in the country.

Mr Ojha said it would open the frontier before the local talents, who otherwise have scanty opportunity to hone their skill.

Besides imparting four years of standard training on archery, SAIL will also provide the trainees free education, stipend, and other facilities. Suggesting for extending complete schooling facility to the trainees, Mr Ojha said, the academy will be of international standard and will attract more youngsters.

Initially training on Indian Round would be imparted to 20 talented archers -- 10 boys and girls each. The selection for the batch was conducted last year.

Aspiring archers in the age group of 13-15 years would be inducted into the academy. Renowned Archer and Asian Championship winner Rajendra Guiyan will be the chief coach in the academy that will make available all the state of the art facilities to the trainees.

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