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Top CSR Projects in Andhra Pradesh
Andhra Pradesh, the state with rich and vivid history is known for being the source of the world-famous Koh-i-Noor diamond and many more diamonds in its Kollur mine. The state also is known as the “rice bowl of India” for being a major producer of rice. The Telugu speaking state is first to be created on a linguistic basis, making it important for its art and culture. Let us look at top CSR projects in Andhra Pradesh contributing to its development.
Where does Andhra Pradesh stand
As per data from National CSR portal, Andhra Pradesh holds the 6th rank in terms of the top 10 states getting CSR expenditure in India with Maharashtra, Gujarat and Karnataka leading the way. In the financial year 2020-21, the total CSR expenditure in Andhra Pradesh has been Rs 662.39 crores, with a total of 598 companies investing in 14 districts of the state under 10 different sectors.
Top 3 districts enjoying CSR benefits
The top 3 districts to get CSR benefits in Andhra Pradesh are respectively Visakhapatnam (amount spent towards CSR 49.25 cr), Kurnool (45.19 cr) and East Godavari (26.74 cr). Nellore, Chittoor, Krishna, Guntoor, West Godavari, Anantapur and Vizianagaram feature among the rest of the top 10 districts enjoying CSR benefits in the state.
Top 3 sectors
The top 3 sectors in which most of the CSR activities have been performed in the state are
• Health, eradicating hunger, poverty and malnutrition, safe drinking water, sanitation (CSR spent 253.24 cr)
• Education, Differently Abled, Livelihood (CSR spent 144.06 cr)
• Rural Development (CSR spent 140.14 cr)
Top 3 companies
The top three companies spending for CSR in Andhra Pradesh in FY 2020-21 are respectively ITC Limited (172.05 cr), Reliance Industries Limited (111 cr) and Infosys Limited (43.5 cr).
ITC Limited
Headquartered in Kolkata, West Bengal, ITC is one of India’s foremost private sector companies and a diversified conglomerate with businesses spanning Fast Moving Consumer Goods, Hotels, Paperboards and Packaging, Agri Business and Information Technology. The Company is acknowledged as one of India’s most valuable business corporations with a Gross sales value of Rs 90,104 crores and Net Profit of Rs 15,058 crores (as on 31.03.2022).
ITC is the country’s leading FMCG marketer with its brands being Aashirvaad, Sunfeast, Yippee!, Bingo!, B Natural, ITC Master Chef, Fabelle, Sunbean, Fiama, Engage, Vivel, Savlon, Classmate, Paperkraft, Mangaldeep and Aim among others. It is also a market leader in the Indian Paperboard and Packaging industry, Agri Business and a pre-eminent hotel chain in India. ITC’s wholly-owned subsidiary, ITC Infotech, is a specialized global digital solutions provider.
It is ITC’s policy: – To formulate CSR Programmes towards achieving one or more of the following:‒ enhancement of environmental and natural capital; rural development support; promotion of education; preventive healthcare, sanitation and drinking water; creating livelihoods, especially for those from disadvantaged sections of society; sports promotion.
– To develop self-reliance among people at the grassroots, especially women, since these are prerequisites for social and economic development.
– To pursue affirmative action interventions like skill building and vocational training, thus enhancing employability and generating livelihoods the disadvantaged.
– To carry out CSR Programmes primarily in areas that fall within the economic vicinity of the Company’s operations so as to supervise them closely and ensure maximum impact.
– To promote sustainability in partnership (SDG 17) with industry associations, like the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) through the CII-ITC Centre of Excellence for Sustainable Development, the goal being a multiplier impact.
Highest spender in CSR projects in Andhra Pradesh, the company has spent Rs 172.05 crores for CSR in Andhra Pradesh in the FY 2020-21. These include CSR projects like promoting education and special education; conservation of natural resources and maintaining quality of soil, air and water; social forestry; health and sanitation; animal husbandry; improving agricultural practices; solid waste management; vocational training and disaster management among others.
Some of their top projects in the state:
>>The Primary Education Programme aims to provide children from weaker sections of society in the company’s factory catchments. The company spent towards promoting education and special education in the state.
>>ITC’s Social and Farm Forestry initiative has led to improvement in pulpwood and fuelwood availability in Andhra Pradesh and a few other states.
>>The ‘Village Adoption Programme’ pioneered by the company’s Agri Business covers 228 model villages in the states of Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka. This initiative is aligned to the Prime Minister’s Sansad Adarsh Gram Yojana (SAGY), an initiative to promote holistic rural development.