IndiaCSR News Network
NEW DELHI: THDCIL has been conferred with Global CSR Excellence & Leadership Awards for Innovations in Corporate Social Responsibility Practices by the World CSR Congress on 18 Feb, 2016 while commemorating 5th World CSR Day at hotel Taj Lands End, Mumbai.
Zeal of doing something different to elevate socio economic status of the deprived communities with their participation & traditional wisdom and to achieve the desired progress in time bound manner in normal Govt. Organizational set up forced THDCIL to innovate its CSR program and implementation mechanism such to give its best to the target communities.
Focus of THDCIL’s CSR program is sustainable social-economic development of remote hilly villages of backward district Tehri Garhwal in the state of Uttarakhand adopting innovative holistic approach without compromising on environmental ground. Objective is to make villagers, especially women, self dependent by way of strengthening existing agricultural, horticultural and animal husbandry practices for enhanced yield with latest scientific interventions with the help of experts. Activities included in holistic program are improvement in educational standard including required infrastructure, conducting skill development & vocational trainings, encouraging good health & hygiene practices, introducing various income generation schemes with innovative idea of revolving fund to SHGs.
Revival of traditional wisdom has been another major focus area of THDCIL’s CSR program. Under this initiative, efforts have been made for conservation of locally evolved dying technology i.e. water mills (locally known as “Gharat) for meeting grinding needs by modernizing them for higher efficiency and multiple uses. Revival of traditional wisdom for water conservation has been attempted by rejuvenating old practice of constructing khals (big ponds) at ridge tops and chals (small ponds) on intermediate slopes for meeting drinking needs of the cattle and recharging streams down slopes. Besides these, various water recharge and soil conservation structures such as check dams, recharge pits, diversion drains, trenches etc have been constructed along with plantation in surrounding area in order to replicate the innovative model of famous environmentalist Sachhida Nand Bharti successfully implemented in Ufferainkhal area of district Pauri Garhwal of Uttarakhand.
Selection of good NGOs/agencies for implementation of such CSR works was a major challenge due to compulsion of tendering/competitive bidding process being Govt. organization, for which NGOs generally have less familiarity and indifferent attitude. The situation was overcome by THDCIL by formulating its own company sponsored NGO namely, “SEWA-THDC” for implementation of CSR projects.
