Ambuja Cement Foundation and Talwandi Sabo Power Limited collaborate to empower rural women in Punjab

The MoU aims to develop at least three group micro-enterprises for the villages and initiate income generation activities mobilizing community awareness initiatives and establishing SHGs in three years.

Established in 1993, Ambuja Cement Foundation is a grassroots pan-India implementing organisation that partners with communities, government bodies, corporates, and NGOs to address community problems.

TSPL has set up a 1980 MW thermal power plant in Banawala village in Mansa, Punjab.

TSPL got into partnership with ACF for upscaling livelihood levels in the region and to provide financial aid to ACF to launch its women empowerment programme in Mansa.

As a part of TSPL’s partnership, ACF has started imparting IGA (Income Generating Activities) training among rural women in the area for the past fie months and is also working with 50 NRLM (National Rural Livelihood Mission) SHGs in seven villages in Phase 1 of the project.

ACF will also aim to provide kitchen gardening kits to 100 SHGs and support 200 SHGs in the area within three years.

Pearl Tiwari, Director & CEO, Ambuja Cement Foundation said, “As our major focus is on women, gender and livelihoods, our new partnership with TSPL will further support us to drive impactful initiatives under the women empowerment programme and enhance our already existing programmes in Punjab.”

Vikas Sharma CEO TSPL said, “Through this project, we aim at empowering women through financial inclusion and linking them with income generation opportunities which shall have a transformative and multiplier effect in boosting household economy and also contribute towards development of the area.”

In Mansa district, ACF has been implementing the agro-based livelihood programme for 12,000 farmers of 95 villages for the last five years.

Awareness sessions and sustainable farming practices were provided and farmers were motivated to adopt Better Cotton Initiative.

Around 27 farmers are using water-conserving techniques like drip irrigation, sprinkler irrigation and farm ponds and 85% of farmers are using laser leveling techniques introduced by ACF.

The organization has also organized awareness drives for 8400 farmers on crop reduction management and 540 farmer’s soil have been tested.

With the already established support from local administrators due to ACF’s existing agro-based livelihood programme in the area, it is expected that the women empowerment programme will roll out seamlessly, reaching more beneficiaries to promote SHGs, income generation and savings, the companies said.