NEW DELHI: Bharti Foundation, the philanthropic arm of Bharti Enterprises, today signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Department of Water Supply and Sanitation (DWSS), Government of Punjab to jointly provide over 50,000 toilets for rural households in District Amritsar. Bharti Foundation will be collaborating with the Government under the Satya Bharti Abhiyan, its well-known sanitation initiative.
Under the MoU, Bharti Foundation will join hands with DWSS and will provide financial assistance for the construction of 20,000 toilets in four blocks (Chogawan, Majitha, Ajnala and Harsha Chhina) with an investment of up to Rs. 30 Crores.
The remaining 30,000 plus toilets will be provided by DWSS in five blocks (Attari, Jandiala, Rayya, Tarsika and Verka). On completion, the joint initiative will impact over 2.5 lac individuals. The initiative will be supported by grants from two group companies – Bharti Airtel Limited and Bharti Infratel Limited.
Rakesh Bharti Mittal, Co-Chairman, Bharti Foundation said, “The Public-Private Partnership model has proven to be an effective approach to promote inclusive and sustainable development. Bharti Foundation has a rich legacy of actively supporting the Government’s social development agenda through its various initiatives. We are happy to be partnering with the district administration of Amritsar and the Government of Punjab to contribute towards alleviating the challenges of sanitation in the district. With the signing of this MoU, I am confident that our joint efforts would help us realize the dream of a healthier and cleaner Punjab.”
Satya Bharti Abhiyan is today recognized as one of the largest private sector supported interventions designed to contribute to Government of India’s Swachh Bharat Mission. Over 87,000 individuals across District Ludhiana benefited during the 1stphase of the Abhiyan. The success of the 1st phase of Satya Bharti Abhiyan helped Ludhiana (rural) to become the second self-declared ‘Open Defecation Free’ (ODF) district of Punjab in November 2016.
The Satya Bharti Abhiyan was launched by Bharti Foundation in August 2014 as a response to the call given by Shri Narendra Modi, Hon’ble Prime Minister of India, urging corporates to join the Government’s efforts in sanitation and health under the ‘Swachh Bharat Mission’.
