MUMBAI: Maharashtra’s Minister for Higher and Technical Education, Chandrakant Dada Patil, and Minister for Skill Development, Mangal Prabhat Lodha, officiated the ‘bell ringing’ ceremony for FUEL (Friends Union for Energising Lives) at the National Stock Exchange (NSE) on Monday. The event marked FUEL’s official listing on the Social Stock Exchange (SSE) platform.Patil announced the ‘earn and learn’ initiative for women students through FUEL. Under this scheme, the government will provide a monthly stipend of Rs 2,000 starting this academic year.When students are given clear direction, they develop the skills necessary to uplift themselves and society, Patil stated. This partnership between the State Government, NSE, and FUEL will open doors to free education for underprivileged girls, ensuring their life is better and more prosperous, he added.Lodha lauded FUEL’s transition into a Skill Tech University. He emphasised the importance of innovation over mere Skill, turning challenges into opportunities. Chief minister Devendra Fadnavis give the remark by video conference. He stated that strategic roadmap for the institution, announcing that the FUEL Board is planning a 100 crore social issue to enable widespread public participation in their mission. This initiative offers diverse investment categories ranging effectively democratising social impact for both retail and institutional investors. Ashish Kumar Chauhan, MD and CEO of NSE, announced that FUEL has successfully raised approximately Rs 99 lakh via the SSE platform. Significantly, 37% of these funds were contributed by retail donors. “The NSE platform now reaches 99.85% of India’s PIN codes, allowing common citizens to drive social change alongside institutional investors, Chauhan noted.Ketan Deshpande, Founder Chairman of FUEL, reflected on the organization’s 20-year journey. He announced new strategic partnerships with Syngenta and Global Capability Centers (GCC) to bridge the gap between education and global employment.The event, attended by Anurag Pratap (Capgemini) and anchored by Manasi Shontakke, concluded with a shared vision of scaling impact to reach more people.
