BMC And Adani Join Hands For Massive Literacy Project Covering 1.5 Lakh Students In Mumbai

‘Project Utthan’ extended to 947 municipal schools, targeting primary-level reading and numeracy skills with support from 316 specially appointed female aides

In a landmark collaboration for educational reform, the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) has formally transferred licensing rights for ‘Project Utthan’, an ambitious public-private initiative with Adani Electricity and Adani Foundation, to bolster foundational literacy and numeracy (FLN) across Mumbai’s municipal schools. The extended project is expected to benefit over 1.5 lakh students from Classes 1 to 4 in 947 schools between 2025–26 and 2027–28.

At a function held on August 4, 2025, top officials including BMC Commissioner Bhushan Gagrani, Additional Commissioner Dr. Amit Saini, and Education Deputy Commissioner Prachi Jambhekar joined Adani Group MD Kandarp Patel, CEO Ramesh Sharma and other company representatives to formalize the next phase of the partnership at the BMC headquarters.

Education-First Public-Private Model

First launched in 2021, Project Utthan aligns with the National Education Policy (2020) and supports the Union Government’s NIPUN Bharat Mission. The initiative was successfully piloted from January to April 2025 among 31,000 second-grade students, showing measurable improvement in core academic skills.

Given the success, BMC has now decided to scale the model across all lower primary levels, providing structured academic support in the critical FLN areas. A dedicated team of 316 female “Utthan Assistants” will be deployed in the schools to support teachers in identifying and assisting students who are irregular, less engaged, or academically weak.

Daily Assessments And Supplemental Resources

The program includes daily tracking of individual student progress, custom learning plans, and hands-on classroom support. For Class 10 students, additional practice materials will be distributed to ensure higher performance levels in board examinations.

Financial Responsibility Fully Borne By Adani

The entire cost of implementation will be covered by Adani Electricity and Adani Foundation, while BMC will provide the necessary infrastructure and logistical support to execute the program. Officials noted that this is one of the largest FLN initiatives by a civic body in India and may serve as a national model for urban education partnerships.