Tata Steel’s Thousand School Program has been awarded the “Most Impactful CSR Project, 2018” as part of the CSR awards of the Government of Odisha, by the Hon’ble Chief Minister of Odisha Shri Naveen Patnaik in a valedictory function held on November 13, 2018 at Bhubaneswar during the Make in Odisha Conclave, 2018.

The Thousand Schools Program was initiated by Tata Steel in January 2015, to revitalize school education in its areas of operation. The program aims to create a model of Universalisation of Elementary Education (UEE) within the Right to Education (RTE) framework that is replicable and scalable. It covers six administrative blocks in three districts of Odisha - Danagadi and Sukinda in Jajpur district, Joda and Harichandanpur in Keonjhar district, and Koira and Kutra in Sundargarh district.  Five out of these six are Educationally Backward Blocks (EBB).

The program focusses on three fronts:

• ACCESS: Ensuring every child attends school and goes on to complete grade X
• QUALITY: Eliminate learning deficit and ensure all children learn at their age appropriate levels
• GOVERNANCE: School Management Committes (SMC) are aware and empovered bodies that ensure good governance along with gram panchayats

In its fourth year the program has made significant headway:

• Of the 2,239 habitations, it covers across six blocks, predominantly tribal and remote, 68% (1,526) have become child labour free zones (CLFZ).
• Nearly 40,000 children have been helped to overcome their deep learning deficit; the program has demonstrated a vibrant and effective pedagogy; government teachers and HMs are enthusiastically adopting the same
• SMCs and panchayats are working actively to transform the education scenario in their villages
• Nearly 1.5 lakh children (aged 6-14 years) have been reached across the 6 project blocks, 98,000 of whom have been impacted directly.
• The program has been replicated in two blocks in Jharkhand with co-investment from The Hans Foundation and is reaching out to another 291 schools, 648 villages and 50,000 children

Tata Steel’s Thousand School Program of has already won:

1. UN Global Compact India, Innovative Practices Award for Sustainable Development Goals, 2018
2. 5^th CSR Impact Awards NGOBOX - Project of the Year, 2018

About Tata Steel:Tata Steel Group is among the top global steel companies with an annual crude steel capacity of 27.5 million tonnes per annum (MTPA) as on March 31, 2018. It is one of the world's most geographically-diversified steel producers, with operations in 26 countries and a commercial presence in over 50 countries. The Group recorded a consolidated turnover of US $20.41 billion (INR 133,016 crore) in FY18. Tata Steel Group is spread across five continents with an employee base of over 65,000. Tata Steel retained Industry Leader position in FY18 and ranked second overall in the DJSI assessment, 2017. The Company has been recognised as the Climate Disclosure Leader in ‘Steel category’ by CDP (2017). Besides being a member of the World Steel Climate Action Programme, Tata Steel was felicitated with several awards including the Prime Minister’s Trophy for the best performing integrated steel plant for 2014-15 and 2015-16, Best Risk Management by CNBC TV18 (2018) and ‘Corporate Strategy Award’ by Mint (2018). The Company also received the ‘Most Ethical Company’ award from Ethisphere Institute for the sixth time (2018), Steel Sustainability Champions (2017) by the World Steel Association, Dun & Bradstreet Corporate Awards (2017 & 2018), Golden Peacock HR Excellence Award by Institute of Directors (2017) as well as 'Asia's Best Integrated Report' award by the Asia Sustainability Reporting Awards (2017), among several others.

Disclaimer:Statements in this press release describing the Company’s performance may be “forward looking statements” within the meaning of applicable securities laws and regulations. Actual results may differ materially from those directly or indirectly expressed, inferred or implied. Important factors that could make a difference to the Company’s operations include, among others, economic conditions affecting demand/ supply and price conditions in the domestic and overseas markets in which the Company operates, changes in or due to the environment, Government regulations, laws, statutes, judicial pronouncements and/ or other incidental factors.