HDFC Bank and AROH Foundation display true spirit of CSR in Chhattisgarh villages

HDFC Bank and AROH Foundation display true spirit of CSR in Chhattisgarh villages

Five toilet blocks were inaugurated and handed over to schools in Samertal and Pounsara villages of District Bilaspur, Chhattisgarh on 28^th April 2016. 200 toilet blocks have been constructed by HDFC Bank in partnership with AROH Foundation under the Swachh Bharat Abhiyan in various government schools in Chhattisgarh.

Dr Bhaskar Chatterjee, DG and CEO, Indian Institute of Corporate Affairs, was present to inaugurate the toilet blocks and took time to visit the holistic CSR interventions taken up in the villages. Ms Smita Bhagat, Regional Head, Retail Branch Banking, HDFC, handed over the newly constructed toilet units to the school authorities. Ms Nusrat Pathan, Head CSR, HDFC and Dr Neelam Gupta, President AROH Foundation was also present on this occasion alongwith other HDFC staff.

HDFC Bank has not only constructed the toilet blocks but made provision for constant supply and storage of water in all schools to ensure appropriate cleaning of units and sanitation of children. One year WASH programme being run in each school to bring lasting behaviour change and enabling environment.

Besides the school sanitation programme, various need-based interventions have been taken up in villages with an objective to build skills and community resources leading to sustainable development. Villages have also been provided with solar street lights with more than 150 lights already installed in 10 villages in Bilaspur.  

Dr Chatterjee appreciated the strategic CSR displayed by HDFC Bank through a variety of need-based interventions taken up in villages of Bilaspur. Speaking on the occasion, Dr Bhaskar Chatterjee said, “we’ve made the CSR policy at the Centre and it gives me immense pleasure to see it implemented in remote and unreached villages in true letter and spirit.” He added, “Corporates have excelled in the last two decades in generating much wealth and prosperity. Ironically, much of this growth has been skewed in favour of a few, while the vast majority has been left behind. Section 135 provides us a historical opportunity to set this right by catalyzing a process of national regeneration wherein corporate India can work hand in hand with the government and civil society to bring about sustainable development”.