AM/NS India inaugurates Digital Skill Centre in Barbil
By Akshaya Pattnaik
Keonjhar, July 23 : ArcelorMittal Nippon Steel India (AM/NS India) inaugurated a Digital Skill Centre in Barbil, Keonjhar as part of its Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) initiative Project ‘Daksh’. The Digital Skill Centre, setup in collaboration with NASSCOM Foundation, aims to enhance the employability of local youth by providing essential digital literacy and vocational skills.
The centre aims to equip local youth with crucial digital skills in Business Process Management (BPM) roles such as Data Entry Operator and Domestic IT Helpdesk Attendant, thereby opening new avenues of livelihood for the local youth in the region. Over the course of 200–225 hours, participants will receive training in domain-specific skills and soft skills, along with exposure to real-world work environments and industry mentorship. The initiative also encourages gender inclusiveness with 60% of the enrolled candidates being women. Annually, the project will benefit 200 youth in Barbil.
The centre was inaugurated by Shri Debendranath Pingua, Sub Divisional Police Officer (SDPO), Barbil in the presence of Dr. Vikas Yadvendu, Head – CSR, AM/NS India, Shri Indrakant Saha, Mines Manager, Thakurani Iron Ore Mine, AM/NS India, Shri Uday Verma, Head – Security, AM/NS India, Shri Pramod Acharya, Welfare Officer, Thakurani Mine, AM/NS India, Shri Tilak Dwivedi, Project Manager, NASSCOM Foundation along with employees of AM/NS India and community members.
Attending the inaugural ceremony as Chief Guest, Shri Debendranath Pingua, SDPO, Barbil said, “This initiative by AM/NS India is a commendable step towards empowering our youth with digital skills that are essential in today’s job market.It will open new livelihood opportunities and create brighter futures for the Barbil community.”
Dr. Vikas Yadvendu, Head – CSR, AM/NS India said, “Through Project ‘Daksh’, AM/NS India is committed to creating inclusive and sustainable skill development opportunities. The Digital Skill Centre in Barbil reflects our dedication to uplifting local communities and bridging the digital divide.”
Shri Tilak Dwivedi, Project Manager at NASSCOM Foundation, thanked AM/NS India for its initiative to address the industry’s skill gap and promote self-reliance.
AM/NS India has already commenced three digital skill centres to train another 600 youths from Keonjhar, Paradeep and Kendrapara in Odisha. Across India, including Odisha, Maharashtra, Chhattisgarh, and Gujarat, the program aims to train 1,600 youth annually from eight centres. Already, 2,400 youths from Economically Weaker Sections (EWS) have been trained at these centres.
