In a bid to include more than 1,460 project affected families in the mainstream of economic growth process, the GMR Kamalanga Energy limited (GKEl) launched a livelihood restoration pilot project in Dhenkanal district.

The project aims to enhance income to the families through agri-based activity, employable skill training and micro-enterprises support initiative.

‘We have launched the unique pilot project with a focus on livelihood restoration for the project affected families. It will definitely enhance the financial stability of the families in Kamalanga area,’ said GMR Varalakshmi Foundation, the CSR-arm of GMR Group Community Services, director Meena Raghunathan.

She said the programme would be implemented in a very intensive and integrated manner in the plant area for the next three years for the benefit of 1,467 project affected families. The project affected families would get training on skill development, modern farming and micro-enterprises which would help boost their income in a long-term basis.

The project proposes to offer 28 livelihood interventions for affected families.

‘This special project is very unique. Our aim is to change the landscape of the Kamalanga area by proving economic viability to the community within three years. We have drawn up the road map accordingly and appointed highly skilled professionals for the job,’ said Raghunathan during a visit here to review the company's CSR activities.

The GKEl has also prepared a grievance redress mechanism for the project which covers its external stakeholders including project affected families. Similarly, monitoring of implementation of livelihood support activities would be done in a systematic manner. GMR Group, through its CSR arm, GMR Varalakshmi Foundation, carries out community-based development initiatives at 22 different locations in the areas of education; health, hygiene and sanitation; empowerment and livelihoods; and community development.

The GKEl has established a 30-bed well-equipped hospital and an English Medium DAV Public School in Kamalanga area to provide health and education facility for the project-affected families. The company also distributed health insurance policies to 2,500 members of the local community and became the first corporate house in Odisha to offer health insurance policies to land losers.