On World Water Day, Standard Chartered Bank, India, announced its plan to make total of 32 districts water secure by end of 2027 through its focussed efforts on providing clean water access, sustainable solutions and education while making a transformative change in the community.
The Bank, as part of this initiative, will build additional 1,253 water harvesting structures to benefit over 9000 households across India helping them get clean drinking water. The initiative is present in Chhattisgarh, Delhi, Gujarat, Haryana, Jharkhand, Karnataka, Ladakh, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Odisha, Punjab, Rajasthan, Tamil Nadu, Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand and West Bengal.
Standard Chartered Bank, through its WASHE (Water, Sanitation, Hygiene and Education) programme has been committed to create a water-secure future for communities in drought-prone areas with strategic scientific support and integrated water resource management. The programme spreads across difficult topographies and terrains from enhancing water availability through spring shed management and artificial glaciers in Ladakh and Uttarakhand to leveraging on hyper local innovations for water harvesting in drought prone areas of Rajasthan.
The WASHE programme currently supports 369 drought-prone villages across multiple states by providing essential access to clean and safe drinking water. With a capacity to generate 1.3 billion litres of freshwater annually, the Bank has aided construction of 2,899 water harvesting structures to support over 1.5 million people in these regions, including 700,000 women. This integrated approach addresses both immediate water needs and long-term development goals, ensuring the sustainability of water resources for future generations.
A key achievement in the Bank’s efforts is the establishment of 135 solar-powered water ATMs (water vending machines) in Maharashtra, Rajasthan, Punjab, Uttar Pradesh and Madhya Pradesh, which provide clean drinking water to approximately 2,000 families per unit. These ATMs have revolutionised water access, particularly for communities at risk due to water contamination. These efforts have also positively generated water-based livelihoods for the community and created many water entrepreneurs.
With a focus on environmental sustainability and youth empowerment, WASHE initiatives also treats grey water, with an annual capacity of 500 million litres in Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh.
WASHE programme, so far has enabled irrigation of 2,830 hectares of land, benefiting local farmers and improving agricultural productivity in Maharashtra, Rajasthan, Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh and Tamil Nadu. Additionally, it has trained over 40,000 youth, women and community workers to actively engage in water conservation and sustainable agricultural practices in West Bengal, Odisha, Andhra Pradesh and Madhya Pradesh.
Speaking at the occasion, Karuna Bhatia, Head of Sustainability, India, Standard Chartered Bank, said, “At Standard Chartered, we believe that access to clean water is a fundamental right that drives social and economic progress. Through WASHE, the Bank has made a significant impact in several drought-prone villages by not only addressing immediate water needs but also empowering communities through education, youth engagement, and sustainable resource management.
This programme exemplifies the Bank’s dedication to improving the lives of the people and building a water-secure future for millions of people. With plans to extend its impact by constructing more water harvesting structures, we will continue to uplift communities and foster long-term resilience in regions affected by water scarcity and contamination,” Karuna Bhatia added.
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