CB BureauTata Steel Rural Development Society (TSRDS) was established in 1979 to engage
in various social development programmes in the rural areas within which Tata
Steel operated its business, specifically the mines and collieries spread over
Jharkhand (until 2000, a part of the state of Bihar) and Orissa. Both states
are located in eastern India.
Prior to the setting up of TSRDS, Tata Steel’s community initiatives were
conducted through its rural and community services division. Subsequently, the
company streamlined its community initiatives along three units: Community
Development and Social Welfare, TSRDS, and Adivasi and Harijan Welfare Cell,
now known as the Tribal Cultural Society.
TSRDS covered 32 villages around Jamshedpur (in the state of Jharkhand)
in its first year of operation. As per information given on the official
website of Purbi Singhbhum District, Jharkhand, TSRDS began operation in 1979 with
an initial annual budget of Rs 8.5 lakh. Today, the annual budget has crossed
the Rs 4 crore mark, and the programme reaches out to nearly 650 villages.
TSRDS has its headquarters at Jamshedpur and the units are situated at Jamadoba
(Dhanbad District, Jharkhand), West Bokaro (Hazaribagh District, Jharkhand),
Noamundi (Singhbhum [West] District, Jharkhand), Joda (Keonjhar District,
Orissa), Bamnipal (Keonjhar) and Gopalpur (Ganjam District, Orissa).
Among the stated objectives of TSRDS are: to create a self-sustaining
process of integrated rural development and to network with agencies (government
and non-government) for bringing best available resources and practices to the
rural community it works with. The Society is actively involved in the spheres
of livelihood generation, health and hygiene, and people empowerment. In
addition, it has identified the advancement of education, sports and
self-reliance as tools to ensure a better quality of life for the people it
works with.
TSRDS is also undertaking several projects to improve agricultural
productivity and thereby raise the living standards of poor farmers and their
families. As a result of these initiatives, some direct benefits have been
seen, including improved crop yields, increase in household income, and year-round
food security. It is also claimed that almost all the children in these
households now go to school.
Of late, TSRDS has been focusing its efforts on imparting training on
skills upgradation for the youth in the periphery of its operational areas.
Initiatives of the steel major have helped hundreds of them to access
sustainable sources of income.
TSRDS has, in collaboration with the Chennai-based Pan IIT Alumni Reach
for India, trained 30 local youths in welding. Subsequently, the boys found
engagement in BHEL Small and Medium Industries Association (BHEL SIA) in Tamil
Nadu.
TSRDS is also partnering with the Bhubaneswar-based Central Institute of
Plastic Engineering and Technology (CIPET) to impart skills upgradation. Under
a pilot project, seven boys from villages around Sukinda Chromite Mine (SCM)
were trained as plastic processing machine operators by CIPET. After completion
of training, Kheria Autocomp Limited, an ISO Certified company based at
Ahmedabad, absorbed all of them. They are being paid a salary of Rs 9,995 per
month, besides other benefits.
Partnering with L&T, TSRDS facilitated training of college dropouts
and ITI-passed jobless candidates. They are being trained at Kolkata in
carpentry, bar bending, masonry and electrical trades, among others. After
completion of training, the candidates will be absorbed by listed contractors
of L&T.
Established in 1907, Tata Steel is among the top ten global steel
companies with an annual crude steel capacity of over 28 million tonnes per
annum (mtpa). It is now one of the world’s most geographically-diversified
steel producers, with operations in 26 countries and a commercial presence in
over 50 countries. The Tata Steel Group, with a turnover of US$ 22.8 billion in
FY 2010, has over 80,000 employees.
In India, the group’s main facilities are located around the city of
Jamshedpur, with current crude steel production capacity of 6.8 million tonnes
a year and a variety of finishing plants. The Indian operations also include iron
ore and coking coal mines.