The project SAFAL was initiated in Nov 2011 under Social Safety Net Programme as part of ongoing Orissa Public Enterprise Reforms programme. HDFcDAR was awarded to work as Program Implementing Agency (PIA) to implement phase-III of the SSNP Program. The project was named as Selfhelp Assistance for Alternative Livelihood (SAFAL). The project objective was to provide counselling to the VRS employees to overcome the trauma of job loss and provide training to facilitate their re-deployment in alternative livelihood opportunities. The SSNP was a flagship programme undertaken by the Dept. Of Public Enterprise for the VRS / retirees to help them availing alternative livelihood avenue and mitigate the trauma of job loss amongst the workers. The scope of the project was also to help the retirees take decision on opting for an alternative livelihood.

As per the ToR, the project had four components i.e. survey, counselling, training and redeployment. The target for survey was 11000, against which the PIA could do the survey of 10317 VRS employees. The target for counselling was 7000 against which the HDF-cDAR could counsel 8681 number of employees. During group, individual and family counselling, the need for skill training was identified for 6025 employees in around 54 trades. Though the PIA registered 1418 VR employees and their dependents for Placement Linked Training under OSEM, the TIs could provide training to only 220 people. Together with skill training and orientation training 1449 employees have been provided with training against the target of 4800. Redeployment support to 1191 people could be provided to the VR employees during the project period.

In farm sector 139 VR retirees trained under integrated horticulture at School of Integrated Horticulture, Sambalpur, Khurda and Gramin ITC, Mayurbhanj. Under dairy 209 were trained at OMTDC, Jaganathpur, Cuttack and in Driving 27 beneficiaries trained in CMTDI, Bargarh. Exposure visit for 388 VR retirees were made under dairy and integrated horticulture to build confidence through meaningful interaction with group and individual entrepreneur.

As per the revised strategy of the PE Deptt. focus was given to provide the scheme along with hand holding support to the retirees to take up alternative livelihood. Therefore re-counselling was done for 2281 employees to find out their options and strength for taking up Govt. sponsored livelihood schemes.

In the course of implementing the project with revised strategy, some innovations were brought in to the project looking at the local needs. While going for bank linkages, it was found that there are quite good number of VR retirees who were very poor and virtually having no assets to show to the banks.

The PIA has also explored the possibilities of linking the VR employees of Schedule Caste & Schedule Tribe category with various individual livelihood promotion schemes of OSFDC and in due process a list of 1334 persons have been submitted to the OSFDC. Out of the 2281 retirees who were counselled in last six months 2107 have shown their interest to be linked with various schemes.