NTPC Limited, India’s largest power company, is set to unveil a new version of its flagship corporate social responsibility initiative, the Girl Child Empowerment Mission (GEM). This program aligns with the Beti Bachao, Beti Padhao (Save the Girl Child, Educate the Girl Child) campaign launched by the Government of India.
The objective of Girl Empowerment Mission (GEM)
- GEM aims to nurture the imaginations of girls and eliminate gender inequality by promoting their ability to explore opportunities.
- The mission provides a platform for young girls to undergo a month-long workshop during summer vacations for their all-round development.
3,000 Meritorious Children to Join the New Version of GEM
- The new edition of GEM, starting from April 2024, will connect around 3,000 meritorious children from deprived sections of society across 42 identified locations of power sector PSUs.
- With this, the total number of children benefiting from the mission will exceed 10,000.
About Girl Child Empowerment Mission (GEM)
- GEM was started as a pilot project in 2018 with only three locations and 392 participants, and has since grown into a nationwide movement.
- Despite the challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020 and 2021, the program has continued to expand its reach and impact.
- So far, a total of 7,424 girls have benefited from the mission, with the number of participants continuously increasing every year.
- In 2023 alone, 2,707 girls participated in workshops across 40 NTPC locations spread across 16 states in India.
- The mission focuses on empowering girls through various programs, aiming to identify and nurture their leadership qualities to prepare them for the future.
- This year’s workshop focuses on health, hygiene, safety, fitness, sports, and yoga.
- GEM workshops provide skill development, confidence-building, and counseling with a holistic approach, and NTPC Limited is widely appreciated for this work.
- The objective is to empower girls to become agents of change, inspiring not only themselves but also their family, community, and the entire country.
About National Thermal Power Corporation Limited (NTPC)
- NTPC Limited is India’s largest power company and a Central Public Sector Undertaking under the Ministry of Power.
- NTPC was established in 1975 and is headquartered in New Delhi.
- The company was given the status of Maharatna company in May 2010.
- The current Chairman and Managing Director of NTPC is Gurdeep Singh, who was awarded the ‘CEO of the Year’ award at the Platts Global Energy Awards in December 2022 for his outstanding contribution to the power sector.