ONGC team sharing the award of Best CSR Project with Director (HR) Mr D D Misra at Delhi

The Delhi Management Association conferred ONGC with the ‘Outstanding CSR project award’ in the recently concluded DMA CSR Award function held at Delhi on 22nd July 2016. The award was conferred for one of the most unique CSR project implemented by ONGC - Financial Assistance for Vocational Training programme for;women of Sivasagar and Pilhibit in water hyacinth craft. ONGC had taken up the project at a cost of Rs 31.5 lakh.

ONGC CSR Team receiving the award from Delhi Management Association

The project details:

In the Phase I of the project, 20 women of Pilihibit district were provided training in water hyacinth crafts at North Eastern Development Finance CorporationLtd(NEDFi)training centre in Assam,to make them the Master Trainers.The project was undertaken in partnership with of North East Development Finance Corporation Ltd. Anubhav Chauhan Samaj Sewa Evam Shiksha Samiti and “ChaloGaon Ki Aour” (CGKA)Training Institute, Pilibhit.A 15 daysresidential training programme was conducted by North Eastern Development Finance Corporation Limited at their Common Facility Centre, at Khetri, (36 Kms from Guwahati). The training programme includesprocessing of raw material up to making of the finished products. The training to these artisans has helped to learn different techniques of processing water hyacinth* to make different products. After the training these women artisans become Master Trainers and entrepreneur. They are now training other women of Pilhibit at CGKA institute. Most of the master trainerswhohaveattended the training program at Assam have now become Entrepreneurby selling bags, mats and other designer items various fairs, market, etc.

(Left) The artisans displaying products made of water hyacinth at Dilli Haat; (Right) Products made of water Hyacinth

Phase II

After the successful implementation of the first Phase, 50 Women from Sivasagar district of Assam, were selected to undergo training in water hyacinth craft. The training was initially conducted by NEDFi at a village in Sivasagar district. After the initial training at local area, 25 women were selected to undergo training at NEDFi centre in Guwahati.

What is Water Hyacinth?

Water Hyacinth is an aquatic plant which can be cultivated on the surface of fresh waters or can be anchored in mud. It may often cause a variety of problems in water bodies such as hindrance to water transport; logging of intakes of irrigation, hydropower and water supply system; Micro habitat for a variety of disease vectors; increased evaporation; problems related to fishing; reduction in biodiversity etc. However this same plant which is a cause of several problems, also has many practical applications like its use in manufacture of paper, fiber board, yarn and rope, basket work, charcoal briquetting, biogas production , animal fodder, fertilizer, fish feed etc. Because of its abundance, water hyacinth provides a good scope for its use in production of various types of handicraft products. Pilhibit district in U.P is surrounded with lots of ponds and dam containing water hyacinth.