With the commitment to improve the quality of life of people from marginalized and vulnerable communities, Reliance Foundation, the philanthropic arm of Reliance Industries Limited (RIL) is all set to expand its Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) initiatives in rural areas. The philanthropic wing has been focusing on transforming arts, heritage, culture, education, health, sports for development, disaster response, rural transformation, and urban renewal in 15 states across India, including the Telugu states of Andhra Pradesh and Telangana. The development models of Reliance Foundation help a rural population of 8.5 lakh in these states.
Wasteland development in Andhra Pradesh and Telangana
Due to the initiatives of Reliance Foundation, around 6,600 hectares of land, which included wastelands, turned operational in Andhra Pradesh and Telangana. Due to this development, farmers were able to grow two to three crops in 2,300 hectares. More than 2.3 billion liters of rainwater harvesting capacity was created to support almost 1,000 hectares of land in the villages of Telangana, wherein drinking water has been made safe in 11 villages.
Nutrition gardens and digital classrooms
With an initiative to support 2,300 people across 13 villages in Telangana, Reliance Foundation established Reliance nutrition gardens, due to which people received fresh fruits and vegetables at their doorstep. In order to help farmers get a better price, farmer producer groups were formed in Kamareddy. The foundation also set up digital classrooms in 85 schools in order to empower the youth in these states. Around 3,000 youth were educated in multiple skills and more than 2,000 of them were successfully linked to employment prospects.
Key people’s opinions
Jagannatha Kumar, the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Reliance Foundation and Vamsee Krishna Jasti, the Head of Rural Transformation, Reliance Foundation were of the view that the initiatives of Reliance Foundation had helped 8.5 lakh individuals in Andhra Pradesh and Telangana through different projects. They stated that the model of Reliance Foundation was to collaborate with the people, identify the needs of the communities, and draft a village development plan, which would be of aid in those areas. Kumar stated that Reliance Foundation’s attempt is to create scalable and replicable models of development with the support of direct action, innovative use of technology, and community participation. Kumar further continued that the foundation has come a long way in contributing to the upliftment of the communities.
Contribution towards focal areas and improvement in income in the Telugu states
On an average, Reliance Foundation spends INR 600 crore on an annual basis, towards its CSR activities on focal areas such as sports, education, and health, among others. Overall, Reliance Foundation has so far spent INR 3,000 crore all over India. Reliance Foundation has also claimed that the income of communities in Andhra Pradesh and Telangana increased from INR 30,000 to INR 80,000 and from INR 50,000 to INR 1 lakh.
Summary
Reliance Foundation will expand its CSR initiatives in the Telugu states of Andhra Pradesh and Telangana. Its initiatives have already made their way to 8.5 lakh people in these states.