Early Times Report NEW DELHI, May 15: Reinforcing its commitment to promote inclusive development, National Highway Authority of India (NHAI) in partnership with the Vertis Foundation is driving meaningful social impact through 'Project Saksham', an initiative focused on empowering rural women through structured skill development for sustainable livelihood opportunities. Beyond skilling, the initiative aims to create pathways for long-term financial independence and social empowerment. Project Saksham operates through a network of 12 training centres across the country, providing access to underserved communities to industry-relevant skills and pathways into the formal workforce. To date, the initiative has trained over 6,000 youth, with more than 4,000 successfully placed across various sectors. Beneficiaries are earning average monthly incomes in the range of Rs.13,000 - 16,000 often surpassing entry-level wage benchmarks in several states. Notably, over 80% of the beneficiaries are women, underscoring the program's strong emphasis on gender-led empowerment. Aligned with NHAI's broader vision of inclusive infrastructure development, Project Saksham is anchored in the belief that communities residing along the National Highways, in particular rural women, should directly benefit from the economic opportunities generated by infrastructure expansion. |