CSR

Introduction

POWERGRID has been contributing to the society through its CSR interventions even before the CSR Act, 2013 came into force. POWERGRID has aligned with 15 out of 17 Sustainable Development Goals launched by the United Nations in 2015. POWERGRID adopts 360° project approach for implementation of its CSR interventions thereby ensuring sustainable implementation of its CSR projects for the targeted beneficiaries. While designing and implementation of the interventions, POWERGRID consults and engages with all stakeholders. Techniques like, Need-Profile Analysis and Need-prioritization are used as effective community participation tools. Communities are also involved in the process of implementation as well as during participatory monitoring phases of the programs.

CSR Activities

HEALTHCARE

“The best way to find yourself is to lose yourself in the service of others” - Mahatma Gandhi

Support during COVID-19 Pandemic

COVID-19 pandemic has wreaked havoc in the whole world. During the pandemic POWERGRID took up the responsibility of Mission Zero Hunger. POWERGRID activated all its establishments spread across the nation to distribute dry ration & meal packets to the needy in and around its establishments. PPE kits/ Masks/Gloves, sanitizers, etc. were distributed to Medical professionals, Police personnel, migrant laborers, etc to help them protect themselves from getting infected from the deadly virus. POWERGRID also extended financial help to State/District authorities for buying medical items/PPE kits and other essential items. POWERGRID extended help across the country from Leh to Kerala.

POWERGRID contributed ₹130 crore to PM CARES Fund in 2019-20 and 70 Crore in FY 2020-21 to support India’s fight against COVID Pandemic. In 2021-22 it has again contributed an amount of ₹75 crores to PM CARES Fund for Assistance and Relief in Emergency Situations. POWERGRID employees also contributed a part of their salary towards the cause.

Despite facing severe challenges, POWERGRID have continued to operate with their restricted means, thereby also serving social welfare. While fighting against the COVID-19, some of the other notable initiatives undertaken by POWERGRID are as below :

300+ cold chain equipment’s supplied to Ladakh, Mizoram, Punjab and Sikkim
Dry Ration and Cooked meal, Gloves Masks, Sanitizers were distributed across different section in order to help them and combat COVID-19.
Established Oxygen plant at Tau Devi Lal Stadium, Gurugram & District Hospital, Jaisalmer

Shri V. K. Singh, Director (Personnel) POWERGRID handed over the medical equipments to Shri Tashi Gyalson, Chief Executive Counsellor, Leh, in august presence of Shri Ravinder Kumar, Secretary (Energy) Leh, Shri Kailash Rathore, Executive Director, NR-II, POWERGRID, Shri Shrikant Balasaheb Suse, DC, Leh, Shri Tarun Bajaj, Chief General Manager (Projects) POWERGRID and other senior officials of POWERGRID, Jammu Kashmir Power Development Department (JKPDD) and Health Department of Leh on 29.06.2021. On this occasion, Chief Executive Counsellor (Leh) flagged off vaccine delivery van, dedicated to people of Leh.

POWERGRID, to augment the emergency pre-hospital medical care, patient transfer, ease of access to health services particularly to rural areas provided ambulances to Government hospitals / Medical colleges / Rural Health Centers.

From living under flyover to seeking refuge at POWERGRID Vishram Sadan: Hidden city for Homeless patients at AIIMS.

In India, most of the tertiary health care institutions are in metro or capital cities. For poor or middle-income group patients, coming from distant locations, arranging accommodation for family members is an additional cost, putting extra pressure on the family. Recognizing the situation at the top most health institute in India, POWERGRID has constructed and has accord approval for Vishram sadan at following locations namely :

AIIMS, New Delhi
KGMU, Lucknow
NIMHANS, Bengaluru
MKCG, Berhampore
IGIMS, Patna (F)
Guwahati Medical College & Hospital
SSG Hospital, Vadodara
DMCH, Darbhanga
RIMS, Ranchi
- F-Functional
- UC-Under Construction Phase

POWERGRID provided medical equipment & ambulances in various Govt. hospitals, distributed Aid & Appliances to Persons with Disabilities and organized health camps in various parts of the country. POWERGRID in association with Artificial Limbs Manufacturing Corporation of India Ltd (ALIMCO) distributed free assistive aids like Motorized Tricycles, Tricycle wheelchair, Walking Sticks, Brail Kit , Crutches , artificial limbs, and hearing aids to Divyangjan (PwDs) across various parts of the country.

RURAL DEVELOPMENT

“The future of India lies in its village” - Mahatma Gandhi

Several rural interventions have been done in many villages touching the domains of integrated watershed management/rainwater harvesting, safe drinking water, sanitation and toilets for schools, improvement of agriculture productivity and livelihoods of small and marginal farmers, rural school renovations, community development. Rural development is considered to be of noticeable importance for the development of the Nation. Development in the Rural sector will culminate in higher socio-economic equality and stability.

In order to achieve these objectives POWERGRID has associated and supported the International Crops Research Institute for the Semi-Arid Tropics (ICRISAT) in developing a scalable site of learning in 10 villages of Jaipatna block, Kalahandi district, Odisha. Integrated watershed management in an area of around 2500 ha. has been taken up in the block to improve crop production and livelihood in the villages. A similar intervention had been done in the past in Kurnool (Andhra Pradesh) and Kudgi (Karnataka) which has been appreciated on various forums. Based on these highly acclaimed interventions rural development projects for Odisha has been designed. In all three states inclusive strategy has been adopted for upliftment of the poor and marginalized and in particular, women & children. It is believed here in POWERGRID that development of all aspects in the rural setup only can catapult the country to the stature of a developed nation.

CSR initiatives of POWERGRID under the thematic area of Rural Development are mainly development of rural infrastructure as summarized below:

Livelihood enhancement through Integrated Watershed Management
Construction of Community Health Centres
Construction of Schools, Class Rooms & Toilets
Repair; Construction of Roads, Bridges and Culverts
Construction of Panchayat Bhawan, Community hall, Marriage hall, Chhath Ghat and Crematorium complex
Installation of Solar street lights, Submersible Pumps, Hand pumps

Our CSR interventions in the Rural Sector has led to upliftment of the rural & tribal folks across the county without intervening in their social fabric. Our efforts in the villages has been acclaimed through several awards, nationally as well as internationally.

WOMEN EMPOWERMENT

“If Women understood and exercised their power they could remake the world.”--Emily Taft Douglas

Women empowerment marks the overall development of a nation. Women in India often get confined to one place, and therefore, it is not easy for women to educate themselves. Empowered and happier women, half of the total population, will contribute to a happier nation. However, there is yet a long way to go. In this direction, POWERGRID has undertaken some of notable initiatives that are helping women from rural India in realizing their potential.

With the demographic dividend being designated as one of the five interrelated pillars of the Atma Nirbhar Bharat Abhiyaan, POWERGRID is making its contribution for women-led development that makes women the leading force of our development trajectory. It is believed that empowering women is essential to the health and social development of families, communities and countries. When women are living safe, fulfilled and productive lives, they can reach their full potential. Taking this further POWERGRID under its CSR is promoting their right to have access to opportunities and resources.

POWERGRID’s women development program are directed towards the following:

Infrastructural support for working women
Hostel provision for Girl students
Promotion of hygiene and healthy lifestyle among girl students
Skill development programme exclusively designed for Girls; Women
Infrastructural support in School and Colleges for their holistic Growth and Development
Promoting efforts of Women Artists for "Inclusive Growth of Madhubani Painting
Vocational training programme for Rural Women
Healthcare related infrastructural support in Government Hospitals and PHCs for women and Child
Women farmers motivated, educated and trained to harvest nutria-gardens and do poultry farming in tribal areas

POWERGRID strives to develop the strength and potential of women and provide them with equal opportunities.

SKILL DEVELOPMENT

"The more we give importance to skill development, the more competent will be our youth."--Narendra Modi,PM

POWERGRID undertakes livelihood and employment oriented entrepreneurship and Skill Development Training Programmes to improve the economic condition of the underprivileged section. Collaborating with National Skill Development Corporation (NSDC), National Academy of Construction (NAC), Central Institute of Plastic Engineering and Technology (CIPET), Indo-German Institute of Advanced Technology (IGIAT), NEITCO, CEDMAP and such professional bodies POWERGRID has been instrumental in training of unemployed unskilled youth from the weaker sections especially rural and underprivileged society. These youth are given training in various fields like transmission line construction, steel fabrication, electrical wiring, plastic engineering, automobile repairing, LMV driving, garment manufacturing, handloom weaving, mobile repairing, tailoring, fashion designing and beauty care. The major objective is to train & empower the young men & women who can be meaningfully employed or are able to generate income through small entrepreneurship and thus are able to improve economic status of their families. POWERGRID undertakes such Skill Development Programs in areas around its establishments which are spread across the length and breadth of the country.

Some of the notable initiatives undertaken are:

Distribution of Sewing machines and training for tailoring skills to the farmers in Ambajogai in Beed district and tribal women in Mokhala & Jawahar Talukas in Palghar district, Maharashtra
More than 11,000 youth trained in various skills through NSDC
Skill Development provided to 390 youth through NAC, Hyderabad
Skill Development programs for 350 candidates through IGIAT, Vishakhapatnam in Andhra Pradesh/li>
Skill Development Program for tribal underprivileged youths,Palghar district of Maharashtra
Training in plastic engineering in association with CIPET to more than 560 under-privileged / unemployed youth
Semi- Automatic Sanitary Napkin manufacturing machines and sewing machines provided and training imparted to women of weaker sections in Damoh district of Madhya Pradesh

Sanitary Napkin Manufacturing Machines Damoh

ENVIRONMENT & ECOLOGY

Tree Plantation : Considering the ecological concern, a number of CSR initiatives are undertaken by POWERGRID. Tree plantation drive has been carried out at several locations by POWERGRID owing the benefits attributable to tree plantation, since it helps in reduce the amount of storm water runoff, which reduces erosion and pollution in our waterways and reduces the effects of flooding. Some of the notable plantation drives carried out by POWERGRID across the country are :

50000 saplings at Kokrajhar
Plantation activities at Naya Raipur, Chattisgarh
Plantation of 1000 trees at Gurgaon
Tree Plantation under Hariyar Chhattisgarh
Tree plantation along with tree guard in Auraiya

Promotion of Solar Energy : Compared to conventional energy sources such as coal, gas, oil and nuclear - reserves of which are finite - clean energies are just as available as the sun from which they originate. Approx. 3439 nos. of Solar lights have been installed by POWERGRID across different States of India. Some of the notable places where Solar lights have been installed are Balia, Mau, Bhadoi, Lucknow, Varanasi, Chandauli, Baghpat, Ghazipur, Saharanpur, kushinagar, Srikakulam, Trichy, Jaggampetta, Jodhpur and Damoh. With the CSR intervention from POWERGRID it has been experienced by the rural masses that enhanced street lighting system in remote and rural communities can actually improve road safety, personal security and raise the standard of living. And it is also expected that with the introduction of proper Lighting through Solar lights, the crime rate also gets proportionately down.

Restoration of lakes in Aurangabad and Rohtas Districts : Most of the population in the district of Aurangabaad and Rohtas depends on agriculture for their livelihood. Ground water scarcity is major challenge in both the Districts. The areas are fertile but they lack proper irrigation facility. POWERGRID excavated and renovated the existing 20 ponds/lakes in the districts of Aurangabad and Rohtas and helped farmers to reap maximum benefits from agriculture.

EDUCATION

"The highest education is that which does not merely give us information but makes our life in Harmony with all existence."-- Rabindranath Tagore

Education is one of the most powerful tools to ensure sustainable development and thus it remains a mainstay for POWERGRID’s CSR initiatives. POWERGRID has undertaken several initiatives for the development of sustainable infrastructure for students mainly in rural belts of the country. POWERGRID has been instrumental in providing finest education in all possible manners by way of establishing and providing infrastructural support to Govt. Schools, Colleges and Universities.