The Himalayan state of Uttarakhand is famous across the country for the pilgrimage sites, beautiful and holy rivers and significance of spirituality. The state is also often in news for various natural calamities because of its tricky terrain and peculiar climate. Additionally, the state also has economic importance for its contribution to Agriculture and Tourism. The unique conditions of the state and its proximity to the national capital has made it an attractive destination for various CSR projects.
In the FY 2022-23, Uttarakhand received CSR funds worth Rs 301.11 cr from a total of 459 companies with a major focus being on Dehradun. Other districts enjoying CSR benefits in the state include Haridwar, Udham Singh Nagar, Chamoli, Tehri Garhwal, Champawat, Pithoragarh, Nainital, Almora and Rudra Prayag. In the said FY, the top companies for CSR performance in Uttarakhand include HDFC Bank Limited (Rs 24.53 cr), NTPC limited (Rs 17.81 cr) and Oil and Natural Gas Corporation Limited (Rs 16.5 crore).
Top CSR Projects in Uttarakhand
IREDA’s CSR to build Sport Science Centre in Uttarakhand
A Memorandum of Agreement (MoA) was signed in August 2024 between the Indian Renewable Energy Development Agency Ltd. (IREDA), a Navratna PSU under the Ministry of New & Renewable Energy (MNRE), and SEWA-THDC, a THDCIL Sponsored not-for-profit registered society, for providing financial assistance of Rs. 1.05 Crore funded by IREDA. The CSR project is sanctioned for the development of a Sport Science Centre Hall (approximately 298 Sq. meters) at Koteshwar, Tehri in Uttarakhand to support the training of Indian athletes in the Kayaking & Canoeing discipline.
The CSR initiative gets covered under the CSR activities notified under the schedule VII of Section 135 of the Company’s Act – which uplifts training to promote rural sports, nationally recognised sports, paralympic sports and Olympic sports. IREDA intends to support providing advanced facilities to the sportspersons for improvement in the overall health and performances in the sports of Kayaking & Canoeing.
CSR to train street food vendors in Uttarakhand
Expanding the geographical footprints of Project ‘Serve Safe Food’ in Uttarakhand, Nestlé India has continued its collaboration with Food Safety and Drug Administration (FDA), Uttarakhand, and National Association of Street Vendors of India (NASVI) to train over 1200 street food vendors in Dehradun, Chamauli, Rudra Prayag, Tehri Garhwal and Uttar Kashi districts, taking the total to 3,200 street food vendors in the state. Since its inception in 2016, Project ‘Serve Safe Food’ has benefitted over 68,500 street food vendors across 26 states and 4 union territories by bringing together various stakeholders to create a comprehensive training programme, as per an announcement by the company.
CSR for sustainable water solutions in Tehri district
Titan Company Ltd., in collaboration with Himmotthan Society, announced their joint effort to bring sustainable water solutions to the Tehri district of Uttarakhand in June. Under this initiative, trenches and percolation pits have been constructed across 60 villages, offsetting 126 million litres of water from an annual water deficit of 359 million litres through community participation. This project has not only increased per capita water availability from 17 to 55 litres per day but also helped reduce drudgery of women and children on an average by 3 hours daily, resulting an improved quality of life.
In response to the severe water crisis exacerbated by changing climatic conditions and the devastating Uttarakhand floods of 2013, Titan Company Ltd. partnered with Himmotthan, a Tata Trusts initiative, to solve these issues. Currently, Titan is supporting 60 villages in the Tehri district of Uttarakhand.
One of the major components within the programme is “Water Next” – See Water through Climate Lens, which creates an ecosystem at the village level to gather insights of the natural resources present in the area, audit water and microclimate, and develop a water balance sheet of each village. Following this, the programme co-creates a matrix to address the water issues in a scientific and participatory manner. This is the first step towards creating Climate Resilient Himalayan Communities.
SOS Children’s Villages India working towards Child Welfare in Uttarakhand
SOS Children’s Villages India, a leading non-profit organisation dedicated to providing care and support to vulnerable children, signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Ministry of Women Empowerment and Child Development, Government of Uttarakhand in February 2024. This strategic partnership aims to enhance child welfare initiatives across the state, focusing on various crucial areas.
The MoU encompasses four key areas of collaboration:
Children’s Home: Under this initiative, efforts will be directed towards admitting children in need of care and protection in a family-like environment in a community setup.
Supporting vulnerable families in the community (Family Strengthening Programme): The partnership seeks to implement Family Strengthening Programmes to support vulnerable families within the community, ensuring that children can grow up in a safe and stable family environment.
Mukhyamantri Vatsalya Yojana (Kinship Care): Through the Mukhyamantri Vatsalya Yojana, efforts will be made to promote kinship care arrangements for children in need, emphasising the importance of family-like care solutions.
Mentorship Programme (Technical Assistance and Knowledge Partnership for CCIs): This aspect of the collaboration will focus on providing technical assistance and fostering knowledge partnerships for Child Care Institutions (CCIs) to enhance their capacity in providing quality care and support to children.
CSR of Reckitt Benckiser (India) Limited
Leading consumer health and hygiene company Reckitt under its flagship campaign Dettol Banega Swasth India in partnership with PLAN India under the project Dettol School Hygiene Education Programme, inaugurated first Dettol Climate Resilient School in Uttarkashi, a district in Uttarakhand on World Environment Day 2023. Government Higher Secondary School in Athali, Uttarkashi is first amongst the four schools to be developed in Uttarakhand in Gangotri, Yamunotri, Kedarnath and Badrinath.
The state of Uttarakhand is specifically vulnerable to climate change owing to geological reasons including melting glaciers, increased population pressure, seismic activities and over-exploitation of natural resources. To preserve and prepare for any adverse effects of climate change in Uttarkhand, Reckitt aims to prepare the young change makers in schools as climate champions bearing the flag of Mission Life. The project aims to create a sustainable school environment across the state by reducing carbon footprint, enhancing energy efficiency, and promoting awareness and education around climate change among students, teachers, and the community.
Aligned with the vision of the Government of India, Dettol Climate Resilient Schools aims to empower children and recognise them as climate champions, who will act as catalyst in creating climate-resilient communities. This zero-carbon school will produce its own electricity, will cut in water wastage, and promote flora and fauna.
Dettol Climate Resilient School
CSR of THDC India Limited
THDC India Limited (formerly Tehri Hydro Development Corporation Limited) is a leading power sector and profit-making public sector enterprise, which registered as a Public Limited Company in July, 1988 under the Companies Act, 1956.
Some of THDC’s major CSR projects in Uttarakhand include
–Running of two Schools (one Inter College & One High School) for project affected and business area families through THDC Education Society in Tehri and Dehradun
–Maintenance of Agriculture & Horticulture related Livelihood Enhancement Establishment at Social & Environment Center, Jolly Grant, (Bhaniyawala) in Dehradun
–Community awareness on positive behavior change/moral values to promot health & hygiene at Rishikesh
–Organising medical checkup camps at various villages of Tehri district
–Integrated Livelihood Enhancement Project for Tehri Dam Affected Villages in Bhilangana Valley of Tehri District
–Diploma in ITI course for 27 candidates of Chamba Block, Tehri
–Sustainable Livelihood and resource management in Upli Ramoli Patti of Pratapnagar Block, Tehri
–Establishment of Mother poultry unit and linkage with backyard poultry for rural population of Tehri district
HCL Foundation’s partnership with National Mission for Clean Ganga and INTACH
HCL Foundation (HCLF), the CSR arm of global technology company HCLTech, has renewed its partnership with the National Mission for Clean Ganga (NMCG) and Indian National Trust for Art and Cultural Heritage (INTACH) for another three years to boost native biodiversity in the eco-sensitive regions of Uttarakhand this month.
‘Over the past five years, HCL Foundation and its partner INTACH planted over 13,550 saplings, including 11,300 Rudraksha saplings and 2,250 saplings of other associated native species, in 30 acres of community-owned land near Sentuna village, in Gangolgaon region of Gopeshwar, Chamoli district, and Aati village in Almora district.
As part of the initiative, around 200 local communities (including NSS volunteers, members of Mahila mangal dal, farmers, school children and others) have participated in awareness campaigns and plantation and maintenance efforts.
The plantation has improved native biodiversity in the region with birds, animals and other species finding habitat in the planted areas. Many mammals (Barking deer, Blue sheep), birds (Laughing thrush, Grey treepie, Blue-capped Rock thrush), butterflies (Common sailor and Common banded peacock) and spiders (Giant wood spider) are routinely recorded by local communities and field teams,’ reads an announcement made by the company.
The extended partnership aims to enhance the positive impact this initiative has been able to make in restoring native biodiversity and habitat in Uttarakhand. HCL Foundation aims to plant an additional 10,000 Rudraksha saplings and other native species in the region by 2026. It also intends to organise community awareness programs to restore degraded habitats and conserve native biodiversity.
Coca-Cola India and Indo Dutch Horticulture Technologies’ Project Unnati – Apple
Coca-Cola India and Indo Dutch Horticulture Technologies Pvt. Ltd. (IDHT) celebrated 5 years of successful partnership on Project Unnati Apple in April 2023. Launched in 2018, Project Unnati Apple is aimed at uplifting the livelihood of farmers by enabling and educating them with improved and advanced agricultural techniques.
Over the past 5 years, Project Unnati Apple has provided farmers with improved planting material, training in Good Agricultural Practices (GAP), and access to modern infrastructure, with an aim to increase apple production and farmers’ income. The project has created employment opportunities in the region and helped in improving the overall economic development of the area, as per an announcement made by Coca-Cola India.
