Puducherry, a colony of the French until 1954, is a union territory (UT) of India known for its heritage and culture. The influence still persists in the region with many native residents of Puducherry still speaking French and living on French cuisine. The coastal union territory is a tourism hotspot for Indians and foreigners alike, making its development and administration of utmost importance. In this regard, let us look at the role of CSR in the development of Puducherry.
Where does Puducherry stand
As per data from National CSR portal, in the financial year 2020-21, the total CSR expenditure in Puducherry has been Rs 11.79 crores, with a total of 44 companies investing in two districts of the state under 7 different sectors. While Puducherry district enjoyed a major share of the CSR benefits in the FY 2020-21, Karaikal only received Rs 0.24 cr.
Top 3 sectors
The top 3 sectors in which most of the CSR activities have been performed in the state are
>>Environment, animal welfare, conservation of resources (CSR spent 1.68 cr)
Top 3 companies
The top three companies spending for CSR in Puducherry in FY 2020-21 are respectively MRF Limited (2.1 cr), Godrej Consumer Products Limited (1.45 cr) and Solara Active Pharma Sciences Limited (1.29 cr).
MRF Limited
India’s leading tyre manufacturing company MRF is the leading CSR spender in Puducherry in the FY 2020-21, spending Rs 2.1 cr for CSR in the union territory.
Some of their major CSR activities in 2020-21 in Puducherry are:
Providing computers and printers for Directorate of Health & Family Welfare Services, Puducherry
Providing medical equipment for Covid care at CERT India Hospital, Puducherry
Purchase of Covid relief materials like boiled rice, ventilators, multi-parameter monitors, PPE kits etc.
Supplying personal protection equipment like masks and supply of groceries for needy families in rural areas
Supplying pulse oximeter to Director of Health and Family Welfare, Puducherry
Sponsoring ambulance service for healthcare
Providing pump for supply of drinking water to village
Refurbishment of lawn tennis court to promote sports
Godrej Consumer Products Limited (GCPL)
Godrej Consumer Products is a leading emerging markets company, which is a part of the over 125-year old Godrej Group.
‘We are committed to helping address critical social, environmental and economic needs of marginalised and underprivileged sections of our communities. We do this by adopting a shared value approach to help solve problems, while strengthening our competitive advantage,’ reads their CSR strategy.
Second highest spender for CSR activities in Puducherry in the FY 2020-21, GCPL has spent Rs 1.45 cr for the union territory majorly for waste management practices.
‘Most recently, we have partnered with the Pondicherry Municipal Corporation to implement a community waste management project. Due to COVID-19, the project was delayed, but it was launched in the third quarter with a beach clean-up drive. We are digitally tracking the waste management process and achieved 100 per cent door-to-door collection and 20 per cent source segregation in the pilot area of the project. Through the project, we aim to scientifically manage 140 MT of waste per day from Pondicherry to establish a circular economy,’ GCPL mentions in their report.
Solara Active Pharma Sciences Limited
Solara Active Pharma Sciences is a young, dynamic, entrepreneurial and customer-oriented Active Pharmaceutical Ingredient (API) manufacturer. The company has a legacy of over three decades and traces their origin to the API expertise of Strides Shasun Ltd. and the technical know-how of human API business from Sequent Scientific Ltd.
Third highest spender for CSR activities in Puducherry in the FY 2020-21, Solara has spent Rs 1.29 cr for the union territory.
Their major CSR projects in the state include:
Infrastructure and sponsorship support for education
Spending towards personal hygiene, waste management and health camps
Providing sanitation and drinking water facilities
Covid-19 distribution and primary health centre
Other companies spending money towards CSR in Puducherry
Paisalo Digital Limited, Himatsingka Seide Limited, Tweezerman India Private Limited, Ewart Investments Limited, Strides Pharma Science Limited, Kingfa Science & Technology (India) Limited and Hdfc Securities Limited are some of the other companies spending towards CSR in Puducherry.
