Nellore: Digital payment solution firm Oxigen Services is all set to take part in empowering people living Puttamrajuvari Kandriga village by offering various skills soon. It may be recalled that the village was adopted by legendary cricketer Sachin Tendulkar one-and-a-half years ago.
It may be mentioned here that Oxigen Services had signed Sachin as a brand ambassador last year and embarked on a mission to develop PR Kandriga at the instance of the ace cricketer.
Oxigen created digital wallet for transactions in 2008 and is the first non-banking firm to connect with National Payment Corporation of India (NPCI) for instant money transfers.
The firm is set to take initiatives towards financial inclusion, Digital India and Swachh Bharat Abhiyan to the next level and it already leads the industry in the Recharges, Money Transfer & Bill Payments space. The company deputed two representatives along with Sachin's Manager Naraian to study the village.
Oxigen Services CSR (Corporate Social Responsibility) officer Rajpal Singh and their AP in-charge J. Srinivasa Rao visited the village on Friday and elicited information on the present livelihood activities of the denizens from the SHGs, unemployed youth and women, especially 440 landless poor.
During a discussion with Joint Collector A. Md Imtiaz at Gudur after the visit, Mr Rajpal Singh said that they would offer training on livelihood activities to the people of three villages including Puttamrajuvari Kandriga, Gollapalem and Nernuru which are part of Nernuru panchayat.
Observing that most of the SHGs used the funds for non-productive purposes such as buying gold and there is hardly any economic activity in the habitation. He underlined the need for capacity building through training to the women and others to enable them choose revenue generating activities. Training the groups to produce lemon-based products by giving some value addition in view of large scale acid lemon gardens in the region is also in the agenda.
Referring to the 50-odd unemployed youth including 10 jobless engineering graduates in the panchayat, he hinted at providing skill development training. Pointing to their tie up with SBI in rural banking sector, he offered their expertise to provide banking services to the village through business correspondent chosen by the villagers.
Gudur sub-collector P.S. Girisha and Sachin Tendulkar's manager Naraian and Planning Officer Venkaiah were present.
